Afghanistan’s Interim Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, assured Pakistan their territory would not be exploited for harmful activities against other nations.
The reassurance comes during a meeting between Muttaqi and Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Asif Durrani, in Kabul. Though the meeting was held on Wednesday, an official statement from Pakistan is still awaited.
During the meeting, the Afghan diplomat expressed hope for further development of political and economic ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan. “With the restoration of security in Afghanistan, there is an excellent opportunity to fortify the economies of the two countries, kick-start significant projects, and expand trade,” he stated.
Reiterating Afghanistan’s stance, Muttaqi affirmed, “Afghans will never harm anyone; we will never allow our soil to be used against another country. Our efforts will consistently aim at promoting regional security and stability.”
Pakistan’s Reaction and The Concern over Regional Security
According to the Afghan foreign ministry, Pakistan’s envoy, Durrani, congratulated the Afghan Taliban for the prevailing stability and security after years of warfare and complications. He stated, “My efforts will bolster ties between the two countries. Our countries have made notable progress in the business sector; regional security benefits everyone, and we will collaborate in the security sector.”
Durrani further assured Muttaqi of Pakistan’s readiness to develop bilateral political, economic, and other mechanisms. Focusing on infrastructure and visa facilitation, he added, “We will prioritize completing the remaining work on the Torkham-Jalalabad road. Visa facilitation will be provided to Afghans, particularly medical patients.”
These developments come amidst the United States reiterated stance that the Afghan Taliban must ensure that their country is not used for launching terrorist attacks. This concern arises as Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of providing refuge to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The higher echelons of the Pakistan Army have cited the availability of safe havens and freedom of action to terrorists of the TTP and similar groups in Afghanistan as a significant factor affecting Islamabad’s security. Since November last year, when the TTP ended its ceasefire agreement with Islamabad, there has been a surge in terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Consequently, the military has intensified its operations against militants.
