Afghanistan's FM Muttaqi likely to visit Pakistan soon to 'reset relations with Islamabad'

In a first since the Taliban’s Kabul takeover on August 15 and US’ complete troop drawdown, Afghanistan’s Interim Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi is expected to make a visit to Islamabad to reset the relations between the Islamic Emirate and the Republic of Pakistan, ANI reported on Saturday, citing Islamabad’s local newspaper The Express Tribune. Sources told The Express Tribune that Muttaqis visit was on the cards and leadership on both sides in Kabul as well as Pakistan were in constant touch to finalize the details. Afghan foreign minister, who is being invited to Pakistan along with other officials, is expected to discuss a trove of bilateral issues. Amir Khan Muttaqi was invited by the Imran Khan administration last month when Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi visited Kabul. 

While Muttaqi will visit Islamabad with several other Taliban officials, his visit will not imply the formal recognition of the Taliban government, sources told The Express Tribune. Although Pakistan will one of the few countries to maintain their diplomatic mission as well as an envoy in Kabul.  Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi became the first official political guest of the Taliban since the country fell into the rule of the globally recognized terror faction.

Imran Khan's stooge reportedly facilitated negotiations between the Taliban and Hazara and Tajik leaders. Both ethnic groups practice Shia Islam and have faced long-term discrimination and abuse in predominantly Sunni Afghanistan. “The talks between the two sides will cover the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and focus on ways and means to deepen cooperation in diverse areas,” Pakistan's foreign office at the time had stated in an official statement, accessed by PTI. 

Pak's FM Qureshi meets with Afghan PM Mohammad Hasan Akhund

Qureshi was accompanied by the ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed to meet with Taliban officials of Afghanistan's interim government. He met with interim Prime Minister of Afghanistan Mohammad Hasan Akhund, deputy PM Abdul Salam Hanafi and the interim foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, with whom the former held dialogue regarding strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade and economic departments. Meanwhile, the Afghan foreign minister Muttaqi welcomed the Pakistan delegation in Kabul. He reportedly said, “The talks between the two sides will cover the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and focus on ways and means to deepen cooperation in diverse areas,” news agency PTI reported, citing the Pakistan foreign office.