Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s special envoy to Afghanistan, has been removed from his position due to internal disagreements over the country’s policy toward Afghanistan, according to a report by Dawn.
Citing diplomatic sources, the report indicates that Durrani was dismissed last Tuesday, following tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban-led government in Kabul.
Durrani, who was appointed in June 2020 after the signing of the U.S.-Taliban Doha agreement, reportedly faced growing frustration as his policy recommendations were consistently ignored by key decision-makers. The report suggests that Pakistan’s military was dissatisfied with his performance, while Durrani himself felt increasingly sidelined in Afghanistan-related discussions within the Foreign Ministry.
The special envoy’s role was unique, requiring him to report directly to the military rather than the Foreign Office, which led to his sense of isolation from diplomatic conversations on Afghanistan, according to Dawn.
Durrani’s removal comes at a time of heightened tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban, particularly over Pakistan’s accusations that the Taliban are providing support to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for numerous attacks against Pakistani security forces. While the Taliban have denied these claims, a recent UN Security Council report stated that between 5,500 and 6,500 TTP fighters are currently based in Afghanistan.
