Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar meets Afghan counterpart, top Taliban leaders in Kabul

Kabul: Pakistan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar met the acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan in Kabul on Tuesday.

The Taliban rulers of Afghanistan have not yet been formally recognized by foreign governments.

The meeting took place a day after the Pakistan Taliban (TTP) declared that it will no longer observe a month-long ceasefire with the Pakistani government, raising security concerns in areas bordering Afghanistan.

The Afghan Taliban has been facilitating peace talks between local militants and Pakistan officials since late last year.

It is not clear whether security concerns were discussed during the meeting between Pakistan’s Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar and Amir Khan Muttaki, Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan.

“Several bilateral issues of common interest including education, health, trade and investment, regional connectivity, people-to-people contact and cooperation in socioeconomic projects were discussed,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a statement.

A statement from Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said Muttaki also raised the issue of expediting trade and transit and facilities for travelers between the two countries, as well as the release of Afghan prisoners in Pakistan.

Pakistan this month reopened a key Afghan border crossing that was closed to trade and transit following clashes between security forces on both sides.

Some on social media highlighted the fact that a woman is leading Pakistan’s delegation at a time when UN and Western officials have called on the Taliban to change course on women’s rights.

The Taliban say they respect women’s rights in line with their vision of Islam and Afghan culture. Ever since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, there have been clashes between their security forces and those of Pakistan, and extremists have attacked Pakistani forces.

Pakistan has called on the Taliban to ensure that they live up to the promise that they will not harbor international terrorists. On this, the Taliban has refused to give shelter to the terrorists.

The Taliban has not been recognized by any country yet. The Taliban quickly and easily took over Afghanistan in August 2021, after which President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and his government fell.

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