Islamabad, Pakistan: The inaugural round of the Additional Secretary-Level Mechanism between the Foreign Ministries of Pakistan and Afghanistan was held here on Tuesday. The statement issued by Pakistan said that the issue of terrorism came under discussion; however, the statement issued by the Afghan Foreign Office has not a single word about what Pakistan’s statements refer to, terrorists infiltrating from Afghanistan into Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office, in its statement, said:
The inaugural round of the Additional Secretary-Level Mechanism between the Foreign Ministries of Pakistan and Afghanistan was held today in Islamabad pursuant to decisions reached during the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan to Kabul, Afghanistan, on 19 April 2025.
Pakistan side was led by Additional Secretary (Afghanistan & West Asia), Ambassador Syed Ali Asad Gillani, while the Afghan side was led by Director General, First Political Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor.
Discussions covered key areas of bilateral interest, including trade and transit cooperation, security, and connectivity.
Both sides recognized terrorism as a serious threat to regional peace and security. The Pakistani side emphasized the need for concrete actions against terrorist groups operating on Afghan soil, noting that such groups undermine Pakistan’s security and hinder regional development.
The two sides exchanged views on deepening trade and transit cooperation. They reviewed the implementation status of measures announced during the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan to Kabul for facilitating Afghan transit trade, including the removal of a 10% processing fee, provision of an insurance guarantee, reduction in scanning and examination, and operationalisation of the track and trace system.
They underlined the importance of enhanced regional connectivity as a catalyst for sustainable growth and shared prosperity. Noting the strategic significance of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway in that regard, they agreed to make concerted efforts towards the early finalisation of the Framework Agreement.
The two sides also discussed matters related to the repatriation of Afghan nationals. Pakistan shared an overview of its efforts to facilitate documented travel from Afghanistan, notably through the issuance of over 500,000 visas since January 2024 to date across a range of categories such as medical, tourist, business, and study. Both sides agreed to work together to further strengthen the legal movement of individuals across borders.
Both sides reaffirmed their support for sustained engagement to address mutual challenges. They recognised lasting security as a cornerstone for both the region’s optimal development as well as for further advancement of bilateral relations. They decided to convene the next round of the Additional-Secretary talks at mutually convenient dates.
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The statement from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said:
The first round of the Political Consultative Mechanism between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and Pakistan was convened in Islamabad.
The Afghan delegation was led by Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor, Director General of the First Political Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the Pakistani side was headed by Syed Ali Asad Gillani, Additional Secretary for Afghanistan and West Asia at Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting, both sides held discussions on bilateral political matters, trade, transit cooperation, and regional connectivity, and exchanged views on regional and international political developments.
They stressed the importance of addressing the issues faced by Afghan detainees and refugees in Pakistan and facilitating the visa issuance process for Afghan patients and businessmen.
To end, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continue engagement to resolve existing challenges, underlining the importance of security for regional development and the strengthening of bilateral relations.
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Will the Afghan government take Pakistan’s request seriously when it is not even ready to include this important subject in its official statement?
