PAKISTAN FM MEETS TALIBAN GOVERNMENT IN KABUL FIRST TIME SINCE TALIBAN TAKEOVER

Thu 21 October 2021:

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday met interim Afghanistan Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund for his first visit to the Afghan capital, since the Taliban victory in August and conveyed Pakistan’s commitment to extending humanitarian assistance to its Afghan brothers.

In the meeting with Akhund, issues of mutual interest were discussed.

VIDEO: Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi arrived in Kabul at the head of a high-level Pakistani delegation.
Qureshi is scheduled to hold talks with Taliban officials on bilateral relations, the issue of refugees and international aid to #afghanistan . pic.twitter.com/pz6LsjukJd

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) October 21, 2021

The foreign minister said Pakistan wanted lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.

He mentioned in this regard several steps by the government including visa facilities for Afghan citizens, especially traders, and the establishment of new border points to facilitate movement.

Qureshi said Pakistan, in collaboration with Afghanistan’s neighbours, was committed to playing a constructive role for peace and stability in the region.

Afghan PM Mullah Muhammad Hasan Akhund received FM Qureshi at Arg. Bilateral talks underway in presence of leading Afghan Ministers for facilitating people to people interaction, trade, transit & connectivity between two brotherly nations ⁦@ForeignOfficePk⁩⁦@PakinAfg⁩ pic.twitter.com/ngI2mH0eoP

— Mansoor Ahmad Khan (@ambmansoorkhan) October 21, 2021

“The Foreign Minister’s visit reflects Pakistan’s consistent policy of supporting the brotherly Afghan people, deepening bilateral trade and economic relations, and facilitating closer people-to-people contacts,” the ministry statement said.

Qureshi is the third foreign minister after those of Qatar and Uzbekistan to visit since the Taliban took power after ousting Ashraf Ghani’s regime.

On Wednesday, the Russian government hosted a high-level Taliban delegation and officials from 10 countries, including China and Pakistan, to push the group for action against Daesh fighters which it says have massed in perennially volatile Afghanistan.

In return, the Taliban — which is facing economic and humanitarian crises within its borders — urged the international community to recognise their interim government.

“Isolation of Afghanistan is not in the interest of any sides. And this has been proven in the past,” the Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi told the Moscow conference.

“Therefore, we call on the international community to recognise the current government of Afghanistan.”

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