KABUL, Afghanistan — A Pakistani delegation led by Sadiq Khan, the country’s special envoy, met with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation on political, economic and transit issues, according to a statement released by the Taliban-run Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Muttaqi emphasized the need to remove barriers to trade and transit between the two countries, describing such cooperation as beneficial for both sides. He also urged Pakistani officials to pursue a gradual and humane approach to the repatriation of Afghan migrants, instead of forcibly deporting them.
According to the statement, the Pakistani delegation pledged to ease visa issuance for Afghan citizens and to work on reducing trade and transit obstacles between the two neighbors.
The delegation arrived in Kabul late Friday, as tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban have escalated in recent weeks. Islamabad has accused the Taliban of harboring and supporting Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for numerous attacks on Pakistani soil.
