Afghanistan Hopes for Improved Relations with New Govt in Pakistan

The Afghan acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in a special interview said that he is hopeful that the relations between Kabul and Islamabad will improve with the emergence of a new government in Pakistan.

Amir Khan Muttaqi emphasized that the caretaker government of Afghanistan seeks good relations with all countries, especially neighboring countries.

“We hope that after the elections in Pakistan and the formation of a new government, as some high-ranking officials have made positive remarks about, the situation will improve. Most importantly, the people on both sides are very poor, their economy and security are important, and we have cooperated in all sectors,” Muttaqi said.

The senior official of the Islamic Emirate said the deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan <<<was>>> a political pressure tactic and emphasized that the presence of Afghan refugees in Pakistan poses no threat to that country.

“If these refugees were a threat to security, they have been there for 40 years, why were they not a threat with this time? Now millions of people are there, why are they not a threat? These reasons cannot be justified,” he stated.

The acting foreign minister also stressed that regional countries have concluded that Afghanistan is no longer a threat to them.

“When a representative from Moscow comes here, along with representatives from Beijing and all regional countries, and sits around a table, it sends a message to the world that there is now security in Afghanistan and there is confidence, and the region is happy with Afghanistan, and people from neighboring countries should take steps in this direction,” he said.

This follows the forced deportation of nearly half a million Afghans, with Pakistan setting a deadline for the remaining Afghan refugees to leave the country by the end of February.