Mending ties: Pak envoy meets Afghan FM in Kabul

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Asif Durrani, embarked on an unannounced trip to Kabul amid recent strained relations between the two neighboring nations due to ongoing cross-border terrorist attacks.

During his visit to the Afghan capital, Ambassador Durrani engaged in discussions with interim Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and other Afghan officials.

The Pakistan Foreign Office has not yet released an official statement regarding Ambassador Durrani’s latest trip, but official sources indicated that it is part of joint efforts by both countries to alleviate tensions, according to The Express Tribune.

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A statement from the Afghan foreign ministry quoted Muttaqi as saying, “Pakistan and Afghanistan, as neighboring Islamic nations, should abstain from making inflammatory statements about each other to prevent further escalation of tensions.” The statement also noted that discussions included the issue of Afghan refugees’ detention.

According to the Afghan foreign ministry, Ambassador Durrani pledged to reinstate the scholarship program for Afghan students and emphasized the need for close cooperation between the two nations in addressing shared security challenges.

This visit occurred against a backdrop of heightened tensions between the two countries. The key border crossing remained closed for nine days following a border skirmish between Pakistani and Afghan border forces on September 6, with both sides accusing each other of initiating the conflict and the subsequent border closure.

Ambassador Durrani’s trip marks his second visit to Kabul in recent times.