ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, said on Tuesday that he held discussions with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, in which they agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation and foster regional peace and progress.
In a statement shared on social media, Mr. Sadiq described the meeting as productive and wide-ranging.
“Agreed to work together to further strengthen bilateral cooperation as well as for peace and progress in the region,” he wrote.
Sadiq, Pakistan’s newly appointed special representative for Afghanistan, arrived in Kabul late Monday at the head of a delegation, marking a significant visit aimed at enhancing bilateral relations.
Sadiq announced the trip on X, saying, “Looking forward to meaningful discussions with Afghanistan’s interim ministers (Taliban officials) to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation across various areas.”
He described fostering “brotherly relations” between Pakistan and Afghanistan as one of the primary objectives of the visit.
The trip is the first by a Pakistani delegation since relations between Islamabad and the Taliban deteriorated in recent months, underscoring the complexity of the ties between the two neighbors.
Pakistani officials, including the country’s prime minister and defense minister, have accused the Taliban of providing safe havens for T.T.P. fighters, allowing them to launch attacks across the border.
The Taliban have repeatedly denied these accusations, asserting that they do not support the group and calling the recent violence in Pakistan “an internal matter.”
