KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A high-level Pakistani delegation, led by Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, visited Kabul on Saturday to hold discussions with senior Taliban officials, including Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund.
The one-day visit, held at the invitation of Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, took place amid rising tensions over security issues and the ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees.
According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dar’s meeting with Mullah Akhund focused on key areas including security, trade, and transit cooperation. They also discussed ways to enhance people-to-people ties and agreed to continue high-level engagements to further strengthen bilateral relations.
According to the Taliban Prime Minister’s office, during the meeting, Mullah Akhund emphasized resolving differences through dialogue. He rejected allegations that members of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are present in Afghanistan, claiming that Afghan territory would not be used against any other country.
Mullah Akhund also urged the Pakistani delegation to end the mistreatment of Afghan refugees, stating that such actions “undermine all the goodwill built over years.”
Dar also held separate talks with the Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, where peace, security, border management, and refugee concerns were discussed.
Relations between Islamabad and the Taliban have become increasingly tense in recent years, mainly due to the TTP — a UN-designated terrorist group with ideological ties to the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of providing refuge to TTP fighters, who are responsible for a rise in militant attacks within Pakistan.
According to the Center for Research and Security Studies, 2024 was Pakistan’s deadliest year in almost a decade, with at least 2,546 people killed. The toll included nearly 700 security personnel and more than 900 civilians.
Pakistan has also recently raised concerns about advanced U.S. military equipment left behind in Afghanistan after the 2021 withdrawal, alleging that militants are using these weapons in cross-border attacks. It has called on the United Nations and the U.S. to take action to secure the arms.
Another significant point of friction is the deportation of Afghan refugees. Since November 2023, over 900,000 Afghans have been expelled, with more than 80,000 deported in April alone. The Taliban has condemned the campaign as “un-Islamic and inhumane.”
Dar’s visit follows several diplomatic exchanges between the two countries, including a recent trip to Kabul by Pakistan’s special envoy and a visit by Taliban Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi to Islamabad.
Citing diplomatic sources, Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune reported that Islamabad has observed signs of a potential shift in the Taliban’s stance on the TTP — one of Pakistan’s key security concerns.
