FM Dar says Afghan side told won’t allow each other’s soil to be used for terror

Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday said Pakistan and Afghanistan have assured each other that they would not allow nefarious elements the use of their soil to conduct attacks or illicit activities against the other, adding that both countries would be responsible to take appropriate action in such a case.

Dar arrived in Kabul earlier today for a day-long visit to discuss security issues that could potentially lead to a thaw in relations between the two neighbours after protracted stalemate over Islamabad’s terrorism concerns.

The much-awaited visit follows the latest round of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Coordination Committee meeting in Kabul. Pakistan’s delegation was led by Ambassador Sadiq Khan, the country’s special representative for Afghanistan.

The two sides agreed to continue dialogue for resolving bilateral issues in a positive environment amid the high-level talks in Kabul today. Addressing a press conference after talks with many Afghan officials, Dar said: “We have requested our hosts that we have to work together for the progress, betterment and peace and security of the region. For that, neither will we allow anyone to use our soil to conduct illicit activities in Afghanistan and graciously nor will you allow anyone to use [Afghan soil].

“We both countries will strictly deal with and no one will be permitted to — there is no permission either way — use our land to use against the other for any security [risk] or terrorism. If someone does, then we both will be responsible to take action against such elements in our countries and stop them.”

FM Dar thanked the Afghan side for hosting the Pakistan side in a splendid manner and said he had invited Afghan officials to visit Pakistan.

“As I consider here [Afghanistan] my second home, Pakistan is also their second home.”

He said the Afghan officials had promised him to visit Pakistan. Dar said problems between the neighbouring countries could be smoothly sorted out and prevented only when relations were maintained, diplomatic activities carried on and committees kept working regularly.

Dar said the transit track and trace system would be functional by June 30 and said it could benefit both sides by increasing the pace of flow for Afghanistan’s transit goods. He added that an agreement was reached on insurance related matters as well for trade.

The foreign minister said Pakistan had requested that trade delegations and exhibitions between the two countries also be facilitated since such activity was highly necessary to ramp up trade, prosperity and business between the neighbours.

Regarding the issue of refugees, he said four principled decisions were taken: their respectful return; mechanism to address the complaints of their mistreatment; announcement that Pakistan has issued no instructions not to buy property from Afghans and granting them the permission to take back their belongings.

Meetings with Afghan FM, PM, DPM

According to a statement issued earlier by the Foreign Office (FO), Dar engaged in extensive discussions with acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

The statement said, “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.”

“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,” it added.

The FO further said, “Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to fostering mutually beneficial relations and agreed on the importance of maintaining high-level engagement.”

Later, Dar called on the acting Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, the FO added in a separate statement.

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.

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

Dar also met acting Afghan DPM Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi for talks in which the two leaders discussed all issues of mutual interest, including peace and security, and people-to-people contacts.

They also agreed to enhance bilateral trade, transit and economic cooperation, to the mutual benefit of the people of both countries. They further decided to remain engaged to achieve the full potential of regional economic development, including through realisation of trans-regional connectivity projects.

Meanwhile, a statement from the Afghan side said Muttaqi expressed “his deep concern and regret over the situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and their forced deportation” in talks with FM Dar.

The statement said the Afghan Foreign Ministry strongly Pakistan authorities to prevent what it said was the “erosion of the rights of Afghans living there and those coming there”.

Muttaqi added that Afghanistan was eager to expand trade, transit, and joint projects with Pakistan and reminded the visiting delegation that concrete steps should be taken to resolve problems and create facilities in these areas.

The statement said FM Dar invited the Afghan diplomat to pay an official visit to Pakistan to continue the high-level visit.

According to the statement, FM Dar said that in order to increase bilateral trade, tariffs on a large number of trade goods were reduced and effective steps would be taken in the areas of transportation of commercial goods.

He also expressed Pakstan’s determination to further expand bilateral trade and transit with Afghanistan and promised to provide necessary facilities in these areas.

As per the statement, he said that Afghan refugees would not be mistreated and Pakistan would take serious steps in this regard, adding that the properties and capital of Afghan refugees were their property and no one could seize their goods. The Afghan statement added that Dar promised that Pakistan’s security agencies would prevent any arbitrary action in this regard.

“The meeting discussed issues such as enhancing diplomatic relations, coordination, joint cooperation, increasing and facilitating visas, rapid transportation of agricultural products, promoting trade and transit, and the importance, ongoing process, and special attention to a number of major projects such as Afghan Trans rail line, CASA-1000, TAPI, and TAP. At the end of the meeting, it was agreed to establish joint committees to follow up on the aforementioned issues and to find effective ways to resolve issues between the two countries,” the statement said.

Speaking to the media before his departure, Dar said that the two countries share deep-rooted brotherly ties which must be further strengthened, state-media Radio Pakistan reported.

Dar said Pakistan has concerns regarding terrorism and discussions will be held with the Afghan side on this matter.

“Our aim is to foster collaboration that serves the mutual interests of the peoples of both countries as well as the region,” he added.

The deputy PM was welcomed at the airport by the dignitaries of the Afghan government, according to a statement by the Pakistan Embassy. The statement added that the Pakistan’s Head of Mission in Afghanistan Ambassador Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani and officers of the embassy were also present on the occasion.

“There are some reasons for the coldness in relations with Afghanistan in the last few years,” Dar told state-media Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) ahead of his departure.

He continued, “I think that the security of Pakistan, the people, of their lives, and of their properties is very important. We have concerns regarding terrorism, which we will discuss.”

He said that there were immense opportunities for trade, economy, and investment between the two countries. “Our links with Central Asia can be done through rail, but unless Afghanistan becomes a partner, a railway link between Pakistan and Central Asia cannot be built without it,” he added.

He further said that the potential in trade was not being utilised, adding that the PM and other stakeholders decided that we would engage with Afghanistan.

Dar also highlighted the trade and investment talks between the two countries held earlier this week. Afghan Acting Minister for Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi led a high-level delegation to Pakistan to explore ways to enhance trade ties.

He said that he was leaving with a “goodwill message” and stated, “Both Muslim countries should become close partners of each other and do whatever is possible for the economic development of the people of both countries and for the betterment of the people.”

A day earlier, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said, “At the invitation of Acting Afghan Foreign Minister, […] Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, will lead a high-level delegation to Kabul tomorrow.”

He said that the talks will cover the entirety of the Pak-Afghan relationship, focusing on ways to bolster cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, including security and trade.

The trip comes in light of rising tensions between the two countries, with Afghan refugee deportations, skirmishes along the border, and the increased activity of armed groups within Pakistan since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

Pakistan maintains that these armed groups operate from within Afghan soil, a claim that Afghan officials have denied, maintaining that no one can use Afghan soil against any country.