Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
HomeLatestAfghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi to visit Pakistan this week

Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi to visit Pakistan this week

The Foreign Minister of the Taliban administration in Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, is scheduled to visit Pakistan by the end of this week, according to a statement by the Afghan Foreign Ministry. The specific date of the visit was not disclosed.

Muttaqi is expected to lead a delegation to hold comprehensive bilateral talks on issues such as political relations, Pakistan-Afghanistan economic ties, regional stability, and transit. He will also participate in a trilateral meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and China, the sixth such meeting, and hold bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart.

There are several issues that could be discussed during the talks. Pakistan is expected to raise concerns about the activities of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which they allege operates from Afghan territory. The Taliban government in Afghanistan has denied these allegations.

Pakistan is also likely to address the activities of the Islamic State’s Khorasan group in Afghanistan, which claimed responsibility for an attack on the Pakistani charge d’affaires in December 2022. Trade relations and transit issues are also expected to be discussed during the talks.

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Afghan Foreign minister

The UN Security Council committee has allowed Muttaqi to travel to Pakistan from Afghanistan to meet with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and China. China and Pakistan have expressed their willingness to welcome the Taliban-led Afghanistan into the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure project, part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

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Afghanistan’s strategic position as a trade and transit route between South and Central Asia, coupled with its vast untapped mineral resources, has long been recognized by the international community. However, the country has been plagued by decades of conflict, and the Taliban’s seizure of power in August 2021 after the withdrawal of US-led forces marked a turning point in the country’s history.

In an effort to engage with the Taliban, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres convened a two-day meeting in Doha with special envoys from various countries. The goal of the meeting was to reach a common understanding within the international community on how to engage with the Taliban, particularly on issues such as human rights, inclusive governance, countering terrorism, and drug trafficking.

The announcement of the Afghan Foreign Ministry regarding the upcoming visit of the Taliban administration’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Pakistan has stirred up several discussions on what could be discussed during the meeting. The visit is scheduled to take place by the end of the current week, although the exact date has not been specified yet.

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Afghan Foreign Minister with Bilawal Bhutto

The Afghan government has expressed its desire to hold comprehensive bilateral talks on political, Pakistan-Afghanistan economic relations, regional stability, and transit during the visit. The upcoming meeting will also mark the sixth trilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan. Muttaqi will also engage in bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart during his visit to Pakistan.

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One of the major issues that Pakistan is expected to raise during the meeting is the presence of the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan. Pakistani officials have accused the TTP of operating from Afghan territory, which the Taliban government in Afghanistan denies.

A Pakistani delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif travelled to Kabul to discuss the TTP issue in February.

In conclusion, the upcoming visit of the Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Pakistan has significant implications for the region. The visit is expected to address several critical issues, including regional security, economic relations, and trade, among others. The decision by the UN Security Council committee to allow Muttaqi to travel to Pakistan for the meeting also indicates a significant shift in the international community’s stance towards the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

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