ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Mohammad 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.
Tensions have flared between Pakistan and the Taliban administration over the activities of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or T.T.P., an armed group that has escalated attacks in Pakistan since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021.
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.”
