Deputy PM Ishaq Dar heads to Kabul tomorrow for diplomatic talks

The Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Friday that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will leave for Kabul tomorrow for a day-long visit to further strengthen bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

This development followed a meeting of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Coordination Committee held in Kabul earlier this week.

FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated that Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi invited DPM Dar, who will visit Kabul along with a high-level delegation.

During his day-long visit, DPM Dar will meet Afghan Acting Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and lead delegation-level talks with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

“The talks will cover the entire gamut of Pak-Afghan relationship, focusing on ways and means to deepen cooperation in all areas of mutual interests, including security, trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties,” he added.

The spokesperson added that DPM Dar’s visit reflects Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing sustained engagement with Kabul.

Officials expect the visit to help defuse tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan amid rising cross-border attacks and terrorism following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul and Islamabad’s ongoing crackdown on illegal foreigners and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders.

60,000 Afghans repatriated from Pakistan in just two weeks:

The International Organization for Migration said Tuesday that nearly 60,000 Afghans have left Pakistan since the start of April, following Islamabad’s intensified campaign to deport migrants to Afghanistan.

Pakistan set an early April deadline last month for around 800,000 Afghans holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) issued by Pakistani authorities to leave the country, launching the second phase of its efforts to deport Afghan nationals.

“Between April 1 and 13, IOM recorded a sharp rise in the forced returns, with nearly 60,000 individuals crossing back into Afghanistan through the Torkham and Spin Boldak border points,” the UN agency said in a statement.

Earlier today, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry ruled out granting any further extension to Afghan citizens and illegal immigrants staying in the country without legal documents.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad today, he said that authorities are continuing the deportation process of Afghan citizens and illegal immigrants under the second phase of the one-document regime.

The minister added that authorities are providing all facilities, including boarding, health, and security, to Afghan nationals at the transit points. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also coordinating with the Afghan government for the safe and secure extradition of their nationals.