Dar meets Afghan leadership: Deportees to be treated with full respect, Kabul assured

Ag AFP

Ag Bureau Report

ISLAMABAD/ PESHAWAR: Pakistan and Afghanistan on Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to enhance bilateral relations and underscored the need to devise strategies for enhancing cooperation across diverse areas of mutual interest, including security, trade, transit, connectivity and people to people contacts.

The agreement came during the first official visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to Afghanistan where he led a led a high-level delegation, comprising of the Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Sadiq Khan, SAPM Tariq Bajwa, the federal secretaries for commerce, railways and interior, as well as other senior officials.

“Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to fostering mutually beneficial relations and agreed on the importance of maintaining high-level engagement,” said the Foreign Office. “Afghanistan is my second home. We will not allow anyone to damage the brotherly atmosphere between our nations. There is need to further enhance mutual trust and cooperation,” Dar said at the conclusion of his day long meetings before he flew back home.

The foreign minister pointed out that Afghan officials had promised him to visit Pakistan and that problems between the neighbouring countries could be smoothly sorted out and prevented only when relations were maintained, diplomatic activities carried on, and committees kept working regularly.

The deputy prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s strong stance against terrorism and affirmed that both countries will not allow their territory to be used for terror-related activities.

“Afghanistan is committed to ensuring that no one uses its land against Pakistan, and we will do the same,” said Dar. “If such incidents occur, both countries will take joint and immediate action. We must not allow our soil to be used against each other. If anyone attempts to use our territory against the other, both countries will be responsible for taking strict action against such elements within their borders,” Dar asserted.

Earlier, Dar called on Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, met with Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi, and held in-depth talks with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

While earlier a joint statement was expected at the conclusion of Dar’s visit, instead the foreign minister talked to the media in Kabul where he summed up the important decisions that had been taken by the two sides.

Laying emphasis on enhancing mutual trade and transit cooperation Dar announced that the Transit Track and Trade System would become operational on June 30. This system, designed to accelerate the flow of Afghan transit goods, is expected to significantly ease bilateral trade and reduce logistical costs.

“The FBR and Customs are fully onboard to implement this system,” said Dar, adding that two additional companies will join the National Logistics Cell (NLC) to introduce healthy competition and ensure savings.

He also revealed that a long-standing proposal for insurance guarantees on transit goods had been approved. “In the future, A++ insurance company guarantees will be accepted in place of traditional bank guarantees,” Dar said.

Pakistan has also decided that cross-stuffing—a facility that allows the transfer of goods from one container to another—will begin from June 30, 2025, starting with 500 consignments monthly or earlier if possible.

On the issue of the Afghan refugees, Dar said that four key decisions have been made regarding their repatriation stressing that the return process will be carried out with full respect.

He said the government would issue a notification within 48 hours, including a contact number for refugees to report any grievances faced during repatriation. He assured that any complaints of mistreatment during the return journey would be addressed.

The foreign minister further said that reports have emerged about returning Afghan nationals facing difficulties in selling their properties. “The government has issued no directive preventing the purchase of properties from Afghan refugees,” he clarified.

He assured the Taliban government that all Afghan refugees would be sent back with dignity and respect, and that no order had been issued by the Pakistani government to seize Afghan-owned properties.

“The Pakistani government has not ordered the seizure of any Afghan’s land or property or that their property can’t be purchased. If any such complaint arises, a special complaint cell has been established for immediate redressal,” he added. “We will have to work together for the development, improvement, and peace and security of the region.”

He emphasised the paramount importance of addressing all pertinent issues, particularly those related to security and border management, in order to fully realise the potential for regional trade and connectivity.

Giving details of the day-long delegation-level meetings, the Foreign Office said that during Dar’s meeting with Acting Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi, the two leaders engaged in detailed discussions on peace, security, trade, and people-to-people connections. Both sides expressed a strong commitment to deepen cooperation in all areas for the benefit of their peoples and agreed to continue contacts for regional economic development. Extensive discussions were held by Dar and his counterpart Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

“The discussions encompassed a comprehensive range of topics pertaining to bilateral relations, underscoring the need to devise strategies for enhancing cooperation across diverse areas of mutual interest, including security, trade, transit, connectivity and people to people contacts,” added the FO.

The deputy prime minister emphasised the paramount importance of addressing all pertinent issues, particularly those related to security and border management, in order to fully realise the potential for regional trade and connectivity.

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to fostering mutually beneficial relations and agreed on the importance of maintaining high-level engagement.

During a call on acting Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, both sides exchanged views on key issues of mutual interest, including security, trade and transit cooperation, and explored ways to enhance people-to-people contacts.

“Reaffirming the commitment to continued engagement, both sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges to further strengthen the relations between the two brotherly countries,” said the FO.

Dar also met with Acting Afghan DPM Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi where both leaders discussed all issues of mutual interest, including peace and security, and people-to-people contacts. They agreed to enhance bilateral trade, transit and economic cooperation, to the mutual benefit of the people of both countries.

“They agreed to remain engaged to achieve the full potential of regional economic development, including through realisation of trans-regional connectivity projects,” added the FO.

Meanwhile, a statement from the Afghan Foreign Ministry said that Muttaqi expressed “his deep concern and regret over the situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and their forced deportation” in talks with FM Dar.

The statement said the Afghan Foreign Ministry strongly asked Pakistan authorities to prevent what it said was the “erosion of the rights of Afghans living there and those coming there”.

Muttaqi added that Afghanistan was eager to expand trade, transit and joint projects with Pakistan, and reminded the visiting delegation that concrete steps should be taken to resolve problems and create facilities in these areas.

The statement said Dar invited the Afghan diplomat to pay an official visit to Pakistan to continue the high-level visit.

According to the statement, FM Dar said that in order to increase bilateral trade, tariffs on a large number of trade goods were reduced and effective steps would be taken in the areas of transportation of commercial goods.

He also expressed Pakistan’s determination to further expand bilateral trade and transit with Afghanistan and promised to provide necessary facilities in these areas.

The Afghan statement added that Afghan refugees would not be mistreated and Pakistan would take serious steps in this regard, adding that the properties and capital of Afghan refugees were their property, and no one could seize their goods. The Afghan statement added that Dar promised that Pakistan’s security agencies would prevent any arbitrary action in this regard.

“The meeting discussed issues such as enhancing diplomatic relations, coordination, joint cooperation, increasing and facilitating visas, rapid transportation of agricultural products, promoting trade and transit, and the importance, ongoing process, and special attention to a number of major projects such as Afghan Trans rail line, CASA-1000, TAPI, and TAP. At the end of the meeting, it was agreed to establish joint committees to follow up on the aforementioned issues and to find effective ways to resolve issues between the two countries,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan´s prime minister condemned “unilateral measures” taken by Pakistan to forcibly deport tens of thousands of Afghans since the start of April.

“Rather than collaborating with the Islamic Emirate on the gradual repatriation process, Pakistan´s unilateral measures are intensifying the problem and hindering progress toward a solution,” Akhund said during his meeting with Dar.

He urged the Pakistani government to “facilitate the dignified return of Afghan refugees”, according to a statement on X.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s Adviser on Information Barrister Dr Muhammad Ali Saif has welcomed the initiation of dialogue with Afghanistan by the federal government. “The federal government has acted upon our repeated appeals by initiating the dialogue process, which is a positive development. However, excluding Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from this crucial process reflects a lack of seriousness,” he said in a statement.

Saif said that KP had remained the frontline and most affected province in the fight against terrorism and, therefore, it must be included along with all other stakeholders in the peace talks. He added that the KP government had submitted terms of reference (TORs) to the federal government three months ago, which also mentioned the involvement of tribal elders and other key stakeholders.

“Our proposed TORs can prove instrumental for the dialogue process. However, without taking stakeholders into confidence, the talks are unlikely to yield fruitful results,” he added. He further said that dialogue with Afghanistan was essential for lasting peace in the region. “And it is imperative to include all relevant parties in this process,” he added.