Pakistan says diplomatic ties with Afghan Taliban upgraded

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan announced on Friday that Pakistan has formally upgraded its diplomatic relations with Afghan Taliban.

“The decision has been made. We have announced it. The chargés d’affaires in both capitals, through mutual agreement, have been elevated to the rank of ambassador. So bilateral relations between the two countries are now at the ambassadorial level, and that process, in our view, is complete,” he said.

The spokesman was responding to a volley of questions at his weekly briefing regarding the announcement made by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on May 30.

He said the Afghan envoy in Islamabad now enjoys the protocol accorded to an ambassador. “So this process is complete. The upgradation has taken place. No further action is required. This is our position. There is no need to present credentials.”

On May 30, Dar had announced the government’s decision to raise the level of its chargé d’affaires in Kabul to that of ambassador.

“I am confident this step will further contribute towards enhanced engagement, deepen Pak-Afghan cooperation in economic, security, counterterrorism and trade areas, and promote further exchanges between the two fraternal countries,” Dar had stated on X.

There has been no statement from the Afghan side.

On reports about the postponement of Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to Pakistan, the spokesman said Pakistan had not officially announced the visit and that dates were yet to be agreed.

He said the two sides were still working on the dates in line with certain procedures. “As soon as the dates are agreed, we will welcome the Afghan FM to Pakistan. When a visit is agreed, it is announced in an official statement. The two sides are still working. Once the dates are finalised, we will make an official announcement.”

Although the Foreign Office spokesman maintained that no dates had been set, both Pakistani and Afghan sources had earlier indicated that the three-day visit was scheduled to begin on Aug 4.

Sources said the UN sanctions committee had not granted permission for Muttaqi’s visit. The Afghan foreign minister, who has visited Pakistan twice before, reportedly faced objections from the United States at the UN Security Council, leading to the postponement.

Muttaqi participated in the 51st Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Foreign Ministers in Turkey. He also travelled to China in May on a bilateral visit, where he attended an informal trilateral meeting with Pakistan and China.