Signs of thaw in frosty Pak-Afghan relations

Sadiq, Muttaqi agree on 'high level engagements'; Terror activities of TTP, affiliates high on agenda

ISLAMABAD/KABUL:

In a sign of thaw in their frosty relationship, Pakistan and Afghanistan on Saturday agreed to enhance "high-level engagements" and resume multifaceted dialogues that also feature security affairs, border disputes, and Afghan refugees.

The breakthrough came after Pakistan's special envoy for Afghanistan Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq flew to Kabul on Friday evening in the latest move by Islamabad to find a solution to the cross-border terrorist attacks. The Pakistani delegation was assisted by additional secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Islamabad, Pakistan's chargé d'affaires in Kabul and members of a technical team from the Ministry of Commerce.

Following a meeting with the Afghan interim foreign minister, Ambassador Sadiq said in a post on microblogging site X that he reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to continued engagement and mutually beneficial ties with Afghanistan. "Both sides agreed to enhance high-level engagements and dialogue to further consolidate bilateral relations," he added.

This is Sadiq's second visit in three months. His last Kabul visit in December ended inconclusively after Pakistan conducted air strikes targeting hideouts of terrorists in Afghanistan. Sadiq was in the Afghan capital when Pakistan carried out the strikes.

The decision to dispatch Ambassador Sadiq to Kabul was taken after the recent huddle in parliament on national security against the backdrop of a series of terrorist attacks. Pakistan said it found evidence of the use of the Afghan soil in both recent train hijacking in Sibi, Balochistan, and the attack on Bannu Cantonment.

According to officials, the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists were in contact with their handlers in Afghanistan during the train siege. Similarly, officials said that Afghan nationals were involved in the Bannu attack. Pakistan earlier this week summoned the Afghan diplomat to record a strong protest over the use of Afghan soil in those terrorist attacks.

Sources said Sadiq would share evidence with the Taliban authorities for decisive action against the terrorist hideouts.

In Kabul, the Pakistani delegation met with Foreign Minister Muttaqi and Commerce Minister Noor Uddin Aziz, and discussed security issues.

The Pakistani side shared their apprehension with regard to the involvement of the outlawed TTP in the surge in recent violence across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, in addition to highlighting the dispute over the Torkham border crossing.

Sources said the commerce officials took up hurdles to trade between the two countries, including issues in the Afghan transit trade. Sources described the agreement on the resumption of "high-level contact" a big achievement.

The relationship between the two countries deteriorated after Kabul accused Islamabad of conducting cross-border attack in Loya Paktika.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Afghan Foreign Ministry after a meeting between Ambassador Sadiq and Afghan Foreign Muttaqi did not mention the TTP or the issue of cross-border terrorism. Instead the statement said that both sides discussed bilateral ties, economic and trade cooperation as well as movement of people along the border.

However, sources insisted that the issue of the TTP and its affiliates' terror activities was very much on top of the agenda. Ambassador Sadiq is expected to continue his engagements before he returns to Pakistan on Sunday.