Pakistan eyes reset in Afghanistan ties

Express Tribune

14-04-2025

Pakistan's trouble shooter for Afghanistan on Monday informed a Senate panel that the relationship with Afghanistan was expected to improve as high-level visits to ease tensions were being planned.
Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ambassador Muhammad Sadie was invited by the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs to brief its members about the state of the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Sadiq travelled to Kabul last month as part of efforts to reset the troubled relationship and find a solution to the longstanding issue of terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil.
The upper house session, chaired by Senator Irfan Siddiqui, was held behind closed doors.
"Just briefed the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs in an in-camera session on the situation in Afghanistan and the challenges facing our bilateral relations.
A candid and constructive discussion on regional developments and the path ahead for Pakistan-Afghanistan relations was a great learning experience," Sadiq said in a statement posted on X after the meeting.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Irfan Siddiqui, told reporters that there were expectations of improvement in the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He said Sadiq Khan informed the Senate standing committee that high-level visits were being planned in the near future.
Irfan said that the visits will help revive the process of bilateral talks. He said Ambassador Sadiq shared with the committee that the issue of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was being taken up forcefully with the Afghan authorities.
The committee also decided to convene another meeting on the Afghanistan issue.
Meanwhile, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, in a meeting with Pakistan's Chargé d'Affaires Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani in Kabul, expressed regret over the "forced deportation of Afghan refugees and the inappropriate treatment by certain quarters".
He described the current mistreatment as provocative and harmful to the relations between the two countries, and called for an end to such actions, according to the statement issued by the Afghan foreign ministry.
According to Afghan foreign ministry spokesperson Hafiz Zia Ahmad, the Pakistani diplomat said he understands the concerns of the Islamic Emirate and will share the matter with the relevant authorities.
The statement further mentioned that comprehensive discussions were held on political and economic matters between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Both sides emphasised the need for effective mutual measures and the exchange of high-level delegations.
Pakistan began deporting undocumented Afghans in October 2023. In the second phase, however, authorities are now repatriating those holding Afghan Citizen Cards. Islamabad has defended the move, stating it cannot host them indefinitely.