KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, Türkiye’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, will travel to Islamabad tomorrow (Sunday, March 29) at the invitation of Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
In a statement, the ministry said that during the visit, the foreign ministers of these countries will discuss a range of issues, including efforts to reduce tensions in the region.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that the foreign ministers of these three countries will also meet with Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The foreign ministers are visiting Pakistan amid diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the region and the expansion of the war between the United States and Israel with Iran.
Pakistan is among the countries that have initiated efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister has confirmed that indirect messages have been exchanged between the two sides.
Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, has also announced the country’s readiness to host potential negotiations between the United States and Israel with Iran.
At the same time, relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have significantly deteriorated over the past months, marked by rising tensions and cross-border clashes. Disputes have intensified over security concerns, with Pakistan accusing Afghan authorities of harboring militant groups, while Kabul has condemned Pakistani airstrikes and military actions inside its territory.
These incidents have led to civilian casualties and heightened mistrust between the two sides, further straining diplomatic ties. The situation reflects a deepening conflict along the border, where political disagreements and security challenges have increasingly turned into direct confrontations, complicating broader regional stability efforts.
Over the past three weeks, Pakistan has targeted various parts of Afghanistan, including Kabul, the capital.
In the latest incident, on Monday night last week, the “Omid” drug rehabilitation center in Kabul was targeted in an airstrike, which the Taliban attributed to Pakistan.
According to Taliban figures, 400 people were killed and another 250 were injured in this attack, but independent sources have not yet confirmed these numbers.
Following the outbreak of clashes between the Taliban and Pakistan, various countries have called for an immediate halt to the fighting and for tensions to be resolved through dialogue. However, Pakistan has emphasized that it will continue its attacks as long as the threat of terrorism from Afghanistan is not eliminated.
Pakistani forces conducted airstrikes and ground operations in multiple provinces across Afghanistan, including Kabul, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Paktia, Khost, and Paktika. According to the UN, at least 289 civilians were killed or injured during border fighting and Pakistani strikes across multiple provinces during that period, with thousands displaced.
