Pakistan plans to send special envoy to Kabul amid spike in violence 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is expected to send its special envoy to Afghanistan to share the leadership’s concern about an increase in violence in in Pakistan recent months, sources said Monday.

No date has been fixed for the visit of Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq, but the trip is likely to take place this week in view of a spike in violent incidents.

Gunmen assassinated a tribal elder in North Waziristan on Monday, two weeks after a vehicle borne suicide bomber rammed into one of the vehicles of security forces, martyring 13 personnel in Mir Ali.

An official source told HUM News English on Monday that Afghans have again started joining Pakistani armed groups in attacks.

In view of growing concerns in Pakistan, Afghan Taliban had earlier taken action against Afghan nationals on return from Pakistan and dozens were also jailed, according to the source.

“Recruitment of Afghans was stopped for months, but it has been found in recent cross-border attacks that Afghans again started taking part in attacks,” said the source.

He said investigation into a July 4 attack in North Waziristan has revealed that half of 30 militants killed were Afghan nationals.

According to an army statement, a large group of militants attempted to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the Hassan Khel area during the nights of July 1 and July 2 and July 2 and July 3.

“The Interim Afghan Government also needs to check and prevent the use of Afghan soil by foreign proxies for orchestrating terrorist activities against Pakistan,” the army stated on July 4.

The official, requesting not to be identified by name, said Pakistan does not blame the Afghan government but “we have evidence that certain elements within the Afghan Taliban support Pakistani groups”.

“The level of frustration is high again and continuation of violent incidents would have a negative impact on relations and efforts to normalize ties,” he said.

The official said a few bilateral visits are also planned this month.

The long pending visit to Islamabad by the Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is also expected this month. However, no date has yet been finalised and dates could be discussed during ambassador Sadiq’s trip.

Both sides are also discussing a visit of the Afghan commerce ministry official(s) to Islamabad to sign the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) as both sides have reached a consensus on a draft.

Officials said that the PTA has almost been finalised in which both sides have agreed to remove duty on certain items by the two countries.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce said Monday that the volume of bilateral trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan has reached nearly $1 billion during the first six months of 2025.

According to a report, Afghanistan exported goods worth $277 million to Pakistan, while Pakistan imported goods worth $712 million.

Afghanistan’s major exports to Pakistan included cotton, coal, onions, tomatoes, raisins, mung beans, and talc stone. Afghanistan imported Sella rice, medical drugs, sugar, cotton textiles, and raw materials for factories from Pakistan.

Abdul Salam Jawad, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, confirmed this to HUM News English on Monday.

Afghanistan’s exports to Pakistan include cotton, coal, talc, raisins, fruit, and vegetables. On the other hand, Afghanistan imports food, industrial products, and other essential goods from Pakistan.

Meanwhile, ambassador Sadiq also met with a delegation from the Coal Traders Association of Pakistan, who import coal from Afghanistan.

“We discussed challenges caused by recent discrepancies in certificates of origin. I will raise their concerns with Afghan authorities and relevant stakeholders in Pakistan,” he wrote on X.

He said supporting small traders on both sides of the border is vital for the economic uplift of border communities.