Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to work jointly for peace, development

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to work together for peace and development as both sides held long-awaited in-depth talks in Kabul on Saturday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar Saturday met with Acting Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi in Kabul and they 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, Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a press release. DPM/FM Dar, Acting Afghan DPM Hanafi discuss peace, security issues DPM/FM Dar, Acting Afghan DPM Hanafi discuss peace, security issues. 

They further agreed to remain engaged to achieve the full potential of regional economic development, including through realization of trans-regional connectivity projects. The DPM/FM had earlier arrived on a day-long official visit to Afghan Capital Kabul.

The agreements surfaced during delegation-level talks between the two countries where Pakistani side was led by Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and the Afghan side was headed by by its Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

The two sides agreed to continue dialogue in a positive environment to resolve bilateral issues and reaffirmed their commitment to fostering mutually beneficial relations and agreed on the importance of maintaining high-level engagement.
Ishaq Dar engaged in extensive discussions with 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,” Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a press statement.
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.

Dar, Afghan PM Akhund exchange views

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar Saturday called 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,” Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a press release.

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

'Deep concern' over Afghan deportations

Afghanistan's foreign minister voiced his "deep concern" on Saturday over forced returns of Afghans by Pakistan, during a visit by Islamabad's top diplomat to Kabul.

Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi "expressed his deep concern and disappointment over the situation and forced deportation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan", urging Islamabad to "prevent the suppression of the rights of Afghans", a ministry statement said.

Earlier Saturday,  Ishaq Dar landed in Kabul on a day-long visit with security issues on top of the agenda as Islamabad deported more than 85,000 Afghans in just over two weeks.

Ishaq Dar departed Islamabad for Kabul for his first official visit to Afghanistan. “The DPM/FM is leading a high-level delegation, comprising of the Special Representative for Afghanistan, Amb. Sadiq Khan, SAPM Tariq Bajwa, federal secretaries for commerce, railways and Interior, as well as other senior officials”, Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a press release.

Speaking to the media prior to his departure, Dar said Afghanistan is not only our neighbour but also a Muslim country. He emphasized that the two countries share deep-rooted brotherly ties which must be further strengthened.

He also highlighted the vast potential for cooperation between the two countries in areas such as trade, economy and investment.

He said our aim is to foster collaboration that serves the mutual interests of the peoples of both countries as well as the region. He said Pakistan has concerns regarding terrorism and discussions will be held with the Afghan side on this matter.

Islamabad has launched a strict campaign to evict by the end of April more than 800,000 Afghans who have had their residence permits cancelled -- including some who were born in Pakistan or lived there for decades.

Convoys of Afghan families have been heading to border towns each day fearing the "humiliation" of raids, arrests or being separated from family members.

The Foreign Office in Islamabad said country’s top diplomat Ishaq Dar will hold meetings with senior Afghan Taliban officials, including Prime Minister Hasan Akhund during a day-long visit.

"There will not be any sort of leniency and extension in the deadline," State Interior Minister Tallal Chaudhry told a news conference on Friday. "When you arrive without any documents, it only deepens the uncertainty of whether you're involved in narcotics trafficking, supporting terrorism, or committing other crimes," he added.

Tallal Chaudhry has previously accused Afghans of being "terrorists and criminals", but analysts say it is a politically motivated strategy to put pressure on Afghanistan's Taliban government over escalating security concerns.

He said on Friday that nearly 85,000 Afghans have crossed into Afghanistan since the start of April, the majority of them undocumented.

The United Nations' refugee agency said on Friday more then half of them were children -- entering a country where girls are banned from secondary school and university and women are barred from many sectors of work.

The United Nations says nearly three million Afghans have taken shelter in Pakistan after fleeing successive conflicts.

Pakistan was one of just three countries that recognised the Taliban's first government in the 1990s and was accused of covertly supporting their insurgency against NATO forces. But their relationship has soured as attacks in Pakistan's border regions have soared.

Last year was the deadliest in Pakistan for a decade with Islamabad accusing Kabul of allowing militants to take refuge in Afghanistan, from where they plan attacks. The Taliban government denies the charge.

In the first phase of deportations in 2023, hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghans were forced across the border in the space of a few weeks.

In the second phase announced in March, the Pakistan government cancelled the residence permits of more than 800,000 Afghans, warning those in Pakistan awaiting relocation to other countries to leave by the end of April.

More than 1.3 million who hold Proof of Registration cards issued by the UN refugee agency have been told to leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi.