Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar embarked on a one-day official trip to Kabul on Saturday, accompanied by a senior delegation, aimed at addressing security concerns, improving bilateral ties and unlocking trade potential.
According to a statement from the Foreign Office, the delegation includes Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Sadiq Khan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Bajwa, as well as federal secretaries from the commerce, railways, and interior ministries, along with other senior officials.
The deputy prime minister addressed the media at Noor Khan Airbase before his departure, where he spoke about the significance of Pakistan’s relationship with its western neighbour.
“Afghanistan is a neighbouring Muslim country and Pakistan has longstanding and historic ties with it,” he said. “Our [Pakistan and Afghanistan’s] relationship has been like that of two brothers, as they are joined together — and it should remain like this.”
Dar acknowledged that ties between the two countries had been frosty during the past few years due to a number of reasons, particularly concerns over national security.
“There has been some coldness in the ties recently, primarily due to the security of Pakistan, the safety of our people’s lives and property and the most important concern for Pakistan — terrorism,” he added.
Despite the challenges, the deputy prime minister expressed optimism about the economic and trade potential between the two nations.
“There are countless trade and economic opportunities between the two countries. We can connect to the Central Asian countries via railway from Afghanistan,” Dar noted. “However, this idea cannot be realised unless there is a proper department of railways in Afghanistan.”
He lamented that the current economic potential of the Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship was not being fully utilised, and stressed the need for greater cooperation.
“I’m going with goodwill, and I will try to bring these two Muslim countries closer together. We must do whatever is possible for the economic progress and betterment of our people through mutual cooperation.”
During his visit, Dar is scheduled to hold meetings with Afghanistan’s top leadership to discuss bilateral relations, trade, and regional stability.
The visit comes at a time of heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, fueled by ongoing security issues and disputes over deportations.
