By Farman Ullah
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, recently visited Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. His visit has given hope that the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has faced many difficulties, might improve. This visit was seen as an important step toward solving the problems between the two neighboring countries.
During his trip, Mr. Dar met with leaders from the Afghan Taliban government. The meetings were described as friendly, and both sides wanted to build better relations. They agreed that the past problems should be resolved through talks and cooperation rather than conflict or blame.
Mr. Dar also met with top Afghan officials, including the acting Prime Minister and the acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban government. One of the key things discussed was the promise from the Afghan side that they would not let any group or person use Afghan land to attack Pakistan. Mr. Dar also gave a similar promise that Pakistan would not allow harm to come to Afghanistan from its side.
This visit took place after a period of growing tension between the two countries. In recent months, there have been several small border clashes and strong statements from both sides. Pakistan has been especially upset because of attacks by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group that Pakistan says is being supported or allowed to operate from inside Afghanistan.
Pakistan has long believed that the Afghan Taliban have not taken strong enough action against the TTP. The TTP has carried out deadly attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians. Pakistan says that the Taliban government needs to do much more to stop the TTP from using Afghan land to plan and launch attacks.
Even though the talks during Mr. Dar’s visit were positive, many experts believe that what matters now is action. Pakistan has suffered a great deal because of terrorism linked to groups like the TTP. The country wants the Taliban to take real steps, not just make promises, to stop these attacks and improve security along the border.
One of the main challenges is that the TTP has strong links with the Taliban, especially with some powerful Taliban leaders in Kandahar. These leaders must take serious steps to stop all groups from using Afghanistan as a safe place to plan attacks against Pakistan. If not, trust between the two countries will continue to break down.
A recent report by the BBC said that the TTP and other terror groups have gotten their hands on many weapons that were left behind by the United States after it left Afghanistan in 2021. These weapons include rifles, night-vision goggles, and even armored vehicles. If such weapons are used by terrorists, they could cause serious harm, especially to Pakistan.
Both the Afghan Taliban and the United States need to take responsibility and act. They must make sure that terrorist groups are not able to use these weapons. The international community also needs to pay attention to this issue because these weapons can spread conflict beyond just Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mr. Dar also discussed the issue of border security and proper management of border crossings. There have been many times when the border was closed due to fighting or disagreements. This hurts trade and creates problems for people who live in the border areas and need to cross for work, family, or health reasons.
The Afghan government also raised concerns about how Afghan refugees are being treated in Pakistan. Many Afghan families are being sent back as Pakistan moves forward with its plan to return undocumented foreigners. Mr. Dar promised that the refugees would be treated with kindness and respect during this process.
As Pakistan continues to send Afghan refugees back, it must make sure they are treated fairly. Many of these people have lived in Pakistan for years. Western countries also have a responsibility to quickly take in Afghans who helped them during the war. If these people are forced to return to Afghanistan, they could face danger.
To build long-term peace and trust, the Afghan government must keep its promise not to let any group harm Pakistan. At the same time, Pakistan should treat Afghan refugees with dignity and look for ways to work with Afghanistan on trade, security, and other shared issues. Only by working together can both countries create a better and more peaceful future for their people.
(April 26th, 2025)