KARACHI: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Afghanistan’s Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Saturday agreed to continue working together in building on fraternal bilateral relations.

“Expanding cooperation in connectivity, trade, security, counterterrorism and people-to-people contacts is a top priority for Pakistan,” the foreign minister posted on X, after he received a congratulatory call from the Afghan minister.

A statement posted on X by the deputy spokesperson at the Afghan foreign ministry, Hafiz Zia Ahmad, said FM Muttaqi hoped that Mr Dar’s assumption of office would have a “positive and constructive role in strengthening the relations” between the two neighbouring countries, Dawn.com reported.

“The region is increasing its positive interactions day by day and the practical work of major infrastructure projects is starting at the regional level and we are expecting to take a constructive part in Pakistan,” the statement quoted the Afghan foreign minister as saying.

Both sides call for eliminating problems on Durand Line

He invited Mr Dar to visit Afghanistan.

The statement said both sides emphasised bringing facilities for passengers, patients and commercial traffic on the Durand Line and eliminating existing problems.

Last week, Kandahar Governor Mullah Mohammad Shirin Akhund received Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires (Cd’A) and head of mission in Kabul, Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani.

The Pakistani envoy travelled to Kandahar to meet with Mullah Shirin, a close confidant of the Taliban supreme leader, amid a tense relationship between the two neighbours.

The senior Afghan Taliban leader had expressed the hope that Pakistan’s new government would have cordial relations with Kabul. “We discussed matters of common interest and agreed to advance Pakistan-Afghanistan relations in all mutually beneficial areas,” Ambassador Nizamani had told Dawn.com.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Munir Akram had asked the UN Security Council last week to urge the Taliban rulers in Afghanistan to terminate their relationship with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan group.

Ambassador Akram had also said that the international community must help millions of destitute Afghans “through the provision of unconditional humanitarian assistance”.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2024