ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to visit Afghanistan in the coming days, which could potentially lead to a thaw in relations between the two neighbours after protracted stalemate over Islamabad’s security concerns.

“The preparatory meetings have been ongoing and hopefully within days I will be visiting Kabul for a day to break this logjam which has been there for the last few years,” Mr Dar said during a media talk at the Foreign Office on Thursday.

The development follows the latest round of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Coordination Committee meeting in Kabul. Pakistan’s delegation was led by Ambassador Sadiq Khan, the country’s special representative for Afghanistan, while the Afghan side was headed by Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Mr Dar’s trip, in planning for several months, had been delayed repeatedly due to growing tensions rooted in Pakistan’s security concerns. The relationship between Islamabad and Kabul has steadily deteriorated since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.

Development comes on heels of recent Pak-Afghan Joint Coordination Committee meeting

While early interactions were marked by cautious optimism, the ties soured amid mounting Pakistani allegations that the Taliban have failed to address cross-border militancy. In particular, Pakistan has accused Kabul of harbouring members of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an outlawed group responsible for a string of deadly attacks in Pakistan.

Multiple UN reports have backed Pakistan’s claims that TTP fighters continue to operate from Afghan territory.

Border clashes, Pakistani air strikes targeting militant hideouts, and Islamabad’s ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees have further strained ties. Another major irritant remains the unresolved Durand Line dispute, which continues to spark friction along the porous and volatile frontier.

The Afghan foreign ministry, in a statement released on April 16, confirmed that Mr Muttaqi expressed “deep concerns” over bilateral tensions and recent developments, particularly the “forced expulsion of Afghans”. He called for issues to be resolved through dialogue based on trust, and cautioned both sides against statements or actions that could inflame public sentiments.

The Afghan media reported that Ambassador Sadiq voiced optimism that Mr Dar’s upcoming visit would yield positive outcomes.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a separate statement that Mr Dar met Afghan Acting Minister for Commerce and Industries Haji Nooruddin Azizi in Islamabad. The two leaders “underlined the importance of maintaining high-level political engagement between the two neighbouring countries”, it added.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2025