PESHAWAR: The Afghan Taliban plan to send a high-powered delegation to Pakistan, to raise concerns over what they call the forced deportation of Afghan refugees, as well as addressing issues related to bilateral and transit trade.

Quoting a report from the official Bakhtar News Agency, the media department of the interim regime in Kabul said the decision to send a high-level delegation to Pakistan was taken at a meeting chaired by Acting Minister for Commerce and Trade Nuruddin Azizi.

The purpose of the visit was to raise concerns over issues faced by the Afghan refugees in Pakistan and address matters related to bilateral and transit trade.

Although the report did not specify a date, it said the delegation would visit Pakistan soon.

Afghan spokesman disputes WaPo report on US-made weapons being smuggled out of Afghanistan

The delegation would include the deputy prime minister for economic affairs, representatives of the directorate of facilitation and investment, foreign ministry, refugee affairs, transport and civil aviation, agriculture, irrigation and private sector.

Rejoinder to WaPo report

Separately, Kabul also dismissed reports of American weapons falling into the hands of militants, claiming that the weapons available on the black market may have been looted at Pakistan’s seaport, from where the weapons were originally transported to Afghanistan.

Deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat dismissed the recent Washington Post report, which said that US weapons being smuggled out of Afghanistan were falling into the hands of the militants.

He claimed that the weapons were brought into the region through Karachi during the American occupation of Afghanistan and were subsequently looted in Pakistan.

The deputy spokesperson claimed said that his regime had taken measures to store American weapons within Afghanistan and had implemented strict controls to prevent their purchase, sale and smuggling.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2025