Pakistan reappoints Sadiq Khan new envoy for Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: At a critical juncture when relations between Pakistan and the interim government of Afghan Taliban have remained strained for over a year, Pakistan on Thursday reappointed former ambassador Sadiq Khan as a special envoy for Afghanistan.

Sadiq Khan, who previously served for three years in Afghanistan as a special envoy before he retired in May 2023, has been given the responsibility after the removal of special envoy Asif Durrani on September 10, 2024.

Asif failed to take initiatives to enhance mutual relations between the two neighbouring countries, which have almost reached the lowest ebb in recent months as Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of giving shelter to militants of the banned Tahreek-i-Taliban, an accusation the Taliban vehemently denies.

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According to sources at the Pakistan Foreign Office, the only solution to improve relations with the Afghan government is to appoint an envoy who has already served in the country with a successful track record.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s interim government are at the lowest ebb primarily over the issue of Pakistani armed groups that Islamabad says are operating from Afghan territory. The Taliban government, however, denies the presence of the outlawed TTP within Afghanistan.

China is also working to ease tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s interim government, according to Pakistani and Afghan officials after Beijing’s special envoy for Afghanistan held talks in Islamabad and Kabul.

China has maintained good relations with Afghanistan’s interim government, becoming the first country to accept its ambassador in December last year. In January, Chinese President Xi Jinping formally received the credentials of Asadullah Bilal Karimi during a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, along with envoys from over 30 other countries.