- Dar to visit Kabul at invitation of Muttaqi, says FO.
- Says Dar’s visit aimed at further strengthening bilateral cooperation,
- Dar to meet Afghan acting PM and other top leaders in Kabul.
Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will depart for Kabul tomorrow on a day-long visit aimed at further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two nations, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Friday.
The development came following a meeting of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Coordination Committee in Kabul this week.
In a statement, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said that DPM Dar, accompanied by a high-level delegation, will visit Kabul at the invitation of Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
During his day-long visit, the DPM would call on the Afghan Acting Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and hold delegation-level talks with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
“The talks will cover the entire gamut of Pak-Afghan relationship, focusing on ways and means to deepen cooperation in all areas of mutual interests, including security, trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties,” he added.
DPM Dar’s visit is a reflection of Pakistan’s commitment to enhance sustained engagement with Kabul, the spokesperson added.
The visit is expected to defuse tensions between the two countries in the backdrop of rising incidents of cross-border attacks and terrorism, since the Taliban takeover of Kabul and Islamabad’s ongoing drive against illegal foreigners and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders.
‘60,000 Afghans return from Pakistan in two weeks’
Nearly 60,000 Afghans have left Pakistan since the start of April, the International Organization for Migration said Tuesday after Islamabad ramped up a campaign to deport migrants to Afghanistan.
Pakistan last month set an early April deadline for some 800,000 Afghans carrying Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) issued by the Pakistani authorities to leave the country, in the second phase of efforts to remove Afghans.
“Between April 1 and 13, IOM recorded a sharp rise in the forced returns, with nearly 60,000 individuals crossing back into Afghanistan through the Torkham and Spin Boldak border points,” the UN agency said in a statement.
Earlier today, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry ruled out any further extension for Afghan citizens and illegal immigrants to stay in the country without legal documents.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad today, he said the process of deportation of Afghan citizens and illegal immigrants is continuing under the second phase of the one document regime.
The minister added that all facilities, including boarding, health and security, are being provided to Afghan nationals at the transit points, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also in coordination with the Afghan government for the safe and secure extradition of their nationals.
