ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and Afghanistan have officially elevated their diplomatic engagement to the ambassadorial level, a move that marks a significant step in normalising bilateral relations amid ongoing regional tensions.
The two sides decided to upgrade their diplomatic relationship in May when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts to broker a deal.
On Friday, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said that the Chargé d’Affaires (CDAs) in both capitals had been upgraded to the rank of ambassador through mutual agreement.
“The bilateral relations between the two countries are now at the ambassadorial level. And that process, in our view, is complete,” he said during his weekly news briefing.
He added that the Afghan envoy in Islamabad now enjoys protocol reserved for a full-time ambassador, and “no further action is required” in this regard.
Normally, ambassadors present their credentials to the president as part of the protocol but in the Afghan ambassador’s case, the Foreign Office said no such formality was needed.
Although Pakistan decided to upgrade their ties, there is no plan yet to officially recognise the Taliban government. Currently, Russia is the only country which has recognised the Taliban government.
Even as both sides formally upgraded their ties, the Taliban energy minister on Friday alleged that Pakistan never wanted to see a “strong and stable central Afghan government”.
But the Foreign Office spokesperson dismissed those concerns as unfounded. Responding to a question on recent minister’s remarks, Shafqat said: “the statement completely belies common sense, history and the facts.” He reiterated Islamabad’s longstanding view that no country has a greater interest in a peaceful and stable Afghanistan than Pakistan.
On the persistent security concerns along the western border, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, Khan reiterated Pakistan’s position that the issue of cross-border terrorism remains a central concern in its talks with Afghan authorities.
“We have, on a number of occasions, highlighted that the issue of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan is a centrepiece of our conversations with the Afghan government. We have been drawing their attention to the fact that terrorists enjoy sanctuaries in Afghanistan,” he said.
He also underscored Islamabad’s concerns over Indian involvement in destabilising activities within Pakistan. “We have evidence about India’s involvement in fanning terrorism in Pakistan, we have shared those with our friendly countries and will keep highlighting it,” he added.
On the possibility of the Afghan Foreign Minister’s visit, the spokesperson said no dates had been finalised yet. “If a visit is finalised, the Foreign Ministry makes an announcement. The two sides are still working. I would reiterate that as soon as the dates are finalised, we will officially announce.”
Earlier, Afghan Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was scheduled to travel to Pakistan on a three-day visit on August 4 but the visit was postponed at the last minute due to a “technical issue.”
