The first round of Additional Secretary-level talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan concluded with both sides reviewing progress on the decisions made during Ishaq Dar's visit to Kabul on April 19.
According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, the Pakistani delegation was led by Additional Secretary for Afghanistan and West Asia, Ali Asad Gillani, while the Afghan side was headed by Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor, Director General of the Political Division at the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The talks covered key areas of mutual interest, including trade and transit cooperation, security, and regional connectivity. Both sides acknowledged terrorism as a serious threat to regional peace and stability.
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Pakistan emphasized the need for concrete action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, which it said pose a threat to Pakistan’s security and hinder regional development.
The two sides also reviewed the implementation of decisions such as the removal of the 10% processing fee on Afghan transit trade, provision of insurance guarantees, reduction in cargo scanning, and operationalization of the track-and-trace system.
They agreed to finalize the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway framework agreement at the earliest and discussed issues related to the repatriation of Afghan nationals.
During the meeting, the Pakistani delegation briefed their counterparts that over 500,000 visas have been issued since January 2024 for medical, tourism, business, and educational purposes. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to facilitate legal cross-border movement and work together on shared challenges.
The spokesperson added that both countries reiterated their support for sustained engagement, and it was decided that the next round of talks will be held on mutually agreed dates.
