KABUL: In a rare diplomatic exchange, the Taliban's acting foreign minister on Saturday expressed sorrow and concern over Pakistan’s continued deportation of Afghan nationals during talks with his Pakistani counterpart.
Pakistan has expelled more than 80,000 Afghans since late March as part of a wider repatriation campaign that began in 2023, a Pakistani official confirmed Friday. The meeting comes at a time of strained relations, though it signals a potential warming of ties between the two neighbors, whose border forces have clashed multiple times in recent months.
The Taliban’s Amir Khan Muttaqi voiced serious concerns about the treatment of Afghan migrants during discussions with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who made a one-day trip to Kabul—the first high-level Pakistani visit since 2022. Muttaqi urged Pakistan to safeguard the rights of Afghans living in or entering the country and highlighted the need to allow returnees to take their property earnings back to Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s foreign office, meanwhile, said Dar stressed the importance of resolving key issues, particularly security and border management, to enhance regional trade and cooperation.
Despite ongoing tensions—including past Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory and a prolonged closure of a major border crossing earlier this year—the latest diplomatic engagement suggests a cautious move toward dialogue and improved relations.
