Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to visit Kabul tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will visit Kabul on Saturday, along with a high-level delegation, at the invitation of the interim Afghan foreign minister.

During the day-long visit, he will call on the Afghan Acting Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund; meet Afghan Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar; and hold delegation-level talks with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, according to a Foreign Office press release.

The talks will cover an 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.

“Preparatory meetings have been ongoing and hopefully, within days, I will be visiting Kabul for a day to break this logjam which is there for the last few years,” said Mohammad Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister.

Meanwhile, Afghan Acting Minister for Commerce and Industries Haji Nooruddin Azizin called on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Islamabad and discussed matters of mutual interest and bilateral ties.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in trade, transit, and regional connectivity.

They also underlined the importance of maintaining high-level political engagement between the two neighbouring countries.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested Afghanistan to take instant action against terrorist activities and the organisations operating within the country’s territory, especially Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), ARY News reported.

Speaking to the media during his visit to Avenfield House London, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of Afghanistan adhering to the Doha Agreement.

Shehbaz Sharif also met former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif there. He repeated that Afghanistan should not be used for terrorist activities aimed at Pakistan.

Prime Minister stated that Afghanistan is our brother and neighbor, and he emphasised the need for peaceful bonding between both countries.

Shehbaz Sharif urged the Afghan temporary government to control groups who are causing terrorist activities and stop their actions from Afghan land.

Shehbaz Sharif mentioned the sacrifices of the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, and police of Pakistan in fighting terrorism, affirming that their efforts will not go useless.

During the media meeting, the Prime Minister also echoed his fruitful visit to Belarus. He announced plans to support Belarusian skills in agriculture. He also mentioned that 150,000 Pakistani skilled workers would be sent to Belarus on merit.