FM urges greater liaison with Iran for Afghan peace

Published June 25, 2021
ISLAMABAD: Iran’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ebrahim Taherian Fard calls on Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday.—APP
ISLAMABAD: Iran’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ebrahim Taherian Fard calls on Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday.—APP

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday emphasised the need for closer coordination between Pakistan and Iran on efforts for peace in Afghanistan.

He was talking to Iran’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ebrahim Taherian Fard, who is on a two-day visit to Pakistan.

During the meeting, accor­ding to the Foreign Office, “views were excha­nged on the Afghan peace process, regional security and issues of mutual interest”.

The foreign minister noted that both Pakistan and Iran had suffered from instability in Afghanistan.

Both Pakistan and Iran have strong religious and cultural ties with Afghanistan, besides hosting a large number of Afghan refugees. Moreover, they share long borders with the war-ravaged country and have influential contacts there. Therefore, the two countries have convergent interests in Afghanistan.

Islamabad and Tehran have been coordinating on Afghanistan for some time, but that has not received much attention.

Mr Fard visited Pakistan last year along with Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and later Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan Amba­s­sador Mohammad Sadiq travelled to Iran.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2021

Opinion

Seizing the moment

Seizing the moment

The provinces bear the primary responsibility for improving access to family planning services, particularly for poorer families.

Editorial

PIA privatisation
Updated 11 Jul, 2025

PIA privatisation

While it does give the privatisation authorities a much-needed head-start, it will not be sustainable unless preceded by policy and regulatory reforms.
Beyond expectations
11 Jul, 2025

Beyond expectations

THESE are tough times, but the country is lucky enough to still be considered home by a large expatriate workforce,...
Train in vain
11 Jul, 2025

Train in vain

TALK of ‘revival’ of the long-dead Karachi Circular Railway has turned into a running joke for denizens of this...
No negotiations
10 Jul, 2025

No negotiations

IT seems like the appeal from Kot Lakhpat Jail has fallen on deaf ears. “[…] The time for negotiations has...
Speech policing
Updated 10 Jul, 2025

Speech policing

Sweeping accusations have once more exposed just how broadly and arbitrarily Peca is being applied.
Continued detention
10 Jul, 2025

Continued detention

THE continued detention of BYC head Mahrang Baloch and five other activists indicates that the state is uninterested...