Pakistan’s defense minister makes surprise visit to Kabul

Pakistan’s defense minister arrived in Kabul along with a high–ranking delegation on an unannounced visit on Wednesday morning, the office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs said.

According to the office, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, Deputy Minister of Economy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), met with Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister of Defense of Pakistan.

The deputy prime minister’s office said in a statement that both sides talked about the development of bilateral relations, trade, regional connectivity and economic cooperation between the two countries.

During his speech, Baradar said that Afghanistan and Pakistan are two neighboring countries and they should have good relations with each other. He insisted on the need for the development of commercial and economic relations with Pakistan and considers such relations beneficial for both countries.

“It is necessary that business and economic issues should be separated from political and security issues, and should not be hindered by politics,” Baradar told Pakistan’s defense minister.

Baradar also said that the Islamic Emirate requests Pakistan to release Afghans who are currently imprisoned in Pakistani prisons.

In addition, he raised the topic of Torkham border closure and Afghans in need of medical treatment across the border. “Necessary facilities should be provided for all passengers at Torkham and Spin Boldak and special facilities should be created for the transportation of emergency patients,” Baradar added.

The Pakistani side assured the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan that they would look into solving the mentioned issues and added that the relevant ministries and appointed committees will work quickly on this matter.

The visit comes four days after the Torkham border was closed.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials on Sunday closed Torkham, one of the main trading and border crossing routes with Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of breaching its commitments.

Officials for Torkham have said the crossing point had been closed for trade and travel.

Mawlavi Mohammad Siddiq, IEA commissioner at Torkham said that Pakistan has not abided by its commitments, so the crossing point has been shut down. He advised the people of Afghanistan to avoid traveling to the border crossing in eastern Nangarhar province until further notice.

“The Pakistani side did not fulfill its promises and the door was closed with the guidance of the leaders of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” Siddiq said.

Meanwhile, Siddiq says that negotiations are ongoing with the Pakistani side about the reopening of the crossing.