Afghan PM for ‘dignified return’ of refugees in a meeting with Dar

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund on Thursday called for a “dignified return” of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.

He was talking to Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in Kabul, where he witnessed the signing of the Trans-Afghan Railway, a major regional connectivity project to link Central Asia with South Asia. 

Dar also met Afghanistan’s Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and expressed hope for continued and constructive cooperation between the two countries in the areas of trade, transit, security, and political understanding.

Akhund’s statement on refugees came at a time when repatriation of Afghan Citizen Card holders is underway.

There are around 800,000 ACC cardholders and officials at the Afghan Commissioner Office told Hum News English that about 200,000 have gone back since April this year.

Pakistan also hosts around 1.4 registered Afghans who hold Proof of Registration Cards (PoR).

TRANS-AFGHAN RAILWAY

“The Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate expressed his hope that joint efforts by both sides would be effective in addressing existing challenges, particularly in facilitating the dignified return of Afghan refugees to their homeland,” a statement from the PM’s office said in Kabul.

Akhund also called for the wisdom to resolve matters through goodwill, mutual understanding, cooperation, fraternal relations, and principles of good neighborliness.

The Afghan PM expressed the hope that the visit would contribute positively to the advancement of bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

On his part, Dar extended an invitation to Akhund to visit Pakistan.

He noted that the agreements reached during the recent visit of the Pakistani delegation to Afghanistan had been implemented.

In this connection, he also expressed satisfaction over the signing of the trilateral agreement between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

He remarked that the Trans-Afghan Railway Project, connecting the three countries, would significantly enhance commercial and economic cooperation compared to previous levels.

Dar also stated that during his recent visit to the People’s Republic of China, he had requested the support of the Chinese government for the Trans-Afghan Project.

He expressed Pakistan’s aspiration for deeper bilateral ties so that future generations of both nations may coexist in an environment of brotherhood and harmony.

Meanwhile, Akhund said, “We are exerting our utmost efforts to ensure the success of the Trans-Afghan Project.”

SIRAJUDDIN HAQQANI

“Both sides held in-depth discussions on security matters and reaffirmed the importance of eradicating the threats to regional countries,” the Foreign Office said in Islamabad about the meeting between Dar and Haqqani.

In a statement, it said the deputy prime minister underlined the importance of addressing all issues of concern, in particular security and border management, to harness the full potential of economic cooperation and regional connectivity.

On the other hand, Haqqani described the trilateral agreement as a foundational step toward expanding economic, commercial, and transit relations among the three countries. He highlighted the shared values, religious and cultural ties, historical relations, mutual cooperation, and joint economic opportunities between the two countries, emphasizing that these commonalities should become the basis for practical collaboration.