Pakistani delegation meets IEA officials, mutual interests discussed

A meeting was held between visiting Pakistani delegation led by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hinna Rabbani Khar and Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials on Tuesday, where various issues were discussed including the matter of Afghans in Pakistani prisons.

The meeting took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was chaired by the IEA’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Also part of the Pakistani delegation was the Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq Khan, Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires in Kabul Obaidur Rehman Nizamani and other Pakistani officials.

Muttaqi welcomed the visiting delegation and said good relations between the two countries were beneficial to the people of both countries and the region.

Muttaqi also raised the issue of Afghan prisoners in Pakistan, as well as the need to facilitate travel to and from the country, and the need to improve trade and transit relations, read a ministry statement.

Muttaqi expressed his willingness to restart TAPI, TAP, the railway line and other big projects. He further expressed the Islamic Emirate’s position on political relations, economic growth and security.

The Ministry said that the Pakistani delegation promised to cooperate with regards to the treatment of refugees in the country and that they would try to resolve other problems in terms of travel routes and visas.

The Pakistani delegation also stated it would work to strengthen and develop trade and transit ties with Afghanistan.

“Since Afghanistan and Pakistan are two neighboring Muslim countries and have cultural commonalities, the governments of both countries should cooperate with each other and protect mutual public interests,” Khar said during the meeting.