ISLAMABAD:
The Afghan Interim foreign minister is expected to travel to Islamabad soon on a first visit in two years, highlighting the growing high-level exchanges between the two neighbours in recent weeks.
“He (Amir Khan Muttaqi) will visit Pakistan soon. Dates are being worked out,” said a diplomatic source on Thursday. The source said the Afghan side has already accepted the invitation.
According to a source, this will not be a daylong trip but a three-day trip where a whole gamut of relations would be discussed.
In April Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelled to Kabul in a first visit by any Pakistani top diplomat in three years. The visit helped ease tensions between the two countries.
The sources said Muttaqi’s visit was part of efforts to increase high level exchanges. The two sides drew up a roadmap envisaging a series of visits by officials and ministers from both sides when a Pakistani delegation led by its special envoy Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq visited Kabul in the third week of March.
The Afghan Taliban government’s recent actions against groups posing a threat to Pakistan played a key role in the increased interaction between the two sides.
Pakistan had long been urging Kabul to tackle the threat posed by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other outfits. But Kabul publicly denied their presence and privately expressed their inability to deal with them.
However, Pakistan finally managed to convince the Kabul regime as it undertook certain steps including crackdown on Afghan nationals who were part of the TTP. The Afghan government also proceeded against Afghan nationals who were facilitating their fellow citizens to join the TTP. Those steps helped ease tensions between the two sides.
In another major sign suggesting shift in its approach was a statement by Senior Afghan Taliban commander Saeedullah Saeed who, on Wednesday, warned militant factions against unauthorised jihad, particularly in Pakistan, saying such actions were against Shariah and the orders of the Islamic Emirate’s leadership.
Speaking at a police passing-out ceremony, Saeed said that fighting in any country, including Pakistan, without the explicit command of the Amir is not permissible.
“Joining various groups to wage jihad abroad does not make one a true mujahid,” he stated. “Only the Amir of the state has the authority to declare jihad — not individuals or groups.”
Saeed emphasized that those carrying out attacks independently or moving between regions to conduct operations cannot be classified as legitimate fighters under Islamic law. “Jihad based on personal ego or group loyalty is considered ‘fasad’ (corruption), not legitimate resistance,” he added.
He further stated that the Afghan leadership prohibited unauthorised entry into Pakistan, and any such act constitutes disobedience. “Groups attacking in the name of jihad are defying both Shariah and the authority of the Afghan Emirate,” he warned.
His public statement is seen as a result of recent efforts both by Pakistan and China urging the Kabul administration to change its approach towards these groups.
Sources said Pakistan would continue to encourage the Taliban government to carry out such measures. In return for these steps, Pakistan and China are willing to support Kabul both economically and diplomatically.
Pakistan already indicated that it was ready to upgrade ties with Afghanistan by exchanging Ambassadors in a major diplomatic win for the Afghan Taliban government.
