ISLAMABAD: Care­ta­ker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Wednes­day urged Afghanistan’s Tal­i­ban administration to address pressing issues in bilateral ties for fully realising the potential of the two countries’ relationship.

The call came during a meeting on Wednesday with Haji Mullah Shirin, the governor of Kandahar and deputy head of mili­t­ary intelligence and stra­tegy in the Taliban adm­inistration in Afghanistan.

Mr Jilani, during the co­nversation, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining engagement and nurturing mutually beneficial ties with Afgha­nistan. He emphasised the importance of addressing all contentious issues to enhance trade and connectivity between the two nations.

Mullah Shirin’s visit is viewed as critically important due to his high-ranking position within the Tal­i­ban and his close ties with the top leadership.

The meeting holds added significance against the backdrop of strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, primarily due to the presence of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) sanctuaries in Afghanistan, which have been the source of attacks on Pakistani soil.

Accompanied by representatives from various Afghan government agencies, including the Ministry of Defence and the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), Mullah Shirin’s delegation engaged in discussions focusing on key mutual concerns.

These included peace and security, and people-to-people contacts, as per a statement issued by the Foreign Office.

The Afghan delegation, led by Mullah Shirin, also participated in the 6th session of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Coordination Committee (JCC). The JCC meeting explored coordination mechanisms to facilitate cross-border movement, aiming to promote people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

According to the Afghan Islamic Press news service, Mullah Shirin, as deputy defence minister, previously headed a commission formed to discuss border control and violations with neighbouring countries.

This commission has engaged in discussions with Iran, Turkmenistan, and others, with Mullah Shirin’s current visit being a continuation of these diplomatic efforts.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2024