Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan Hosts Pakistan Minister Hina Rabbani Khar For Bilateral Talks

Hina Rabbani's Kabul visit comes amid a host of problems that plague the bilateral ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The visit comes a day after the Pakistani Taliban called off a ceasefire deal.

Pakistan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar flew to Afghanistan’s capital Kabul for bilateral talks on security issues and economic cooperation with the Taliban. Khar is the first minister from the Shehbaz Sharif government to visit Afghanistan.

Soon after landing, Khar met acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The meeting came amid an atmosphere of mistrust between the two countries over cross-border firing and a rise in attacks by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), reported Pakistani media outlet The Dawn. Pakistan has alleged that the TTP is operating from Afghanistan, a claim denied by the Afghan Taliban.

A statement released by the Foreign Office of Pakistan quoted spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch as saying: “Bilateral relations, including cooperation in the areas of education, trade and investment, regional connectivity, people-to-people contacts, and matters related to regional security will be discussed.”

“As a friend and neighbour, Pakistan will reaffirm its abiding solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, in particular through its efforts to ease the humanitarian crisis and to create real opportunities for the economic prosperity of Afghan men, women, and children,” the statement read.

WHAT’S ON PAK-AFGHAN TALK AGENDA?

BORDER DISPUTE

The ongoing border dispute of border demarcation is on the table for discussion. Afghanistan disputes the British line of demarcation along the 2,600-kilometre border, also known as the Durand Line, established in 1893. The line passes through the Pashtun tribal areas in Pakistan. According to Afghanistan, these Pashtun territories, which are now in Pakistan, rightfully belong to Afghanistan.

However, Pakistan has rejected the claim, saying that it is an internationally recognised demarcation.

CROSSBORDER FIRING

Incidents of firing across the border have intensified in recent times. On November 13, a Pakistani paramilitary soldier was killed after a man fired at the security personnel at the Chaman/Spin Boldak border crossing – known as ‘Friendship Gate’, reported the Siasat Daily. Two persons were injured in the incident.

ECONOMIC STABILITY

Both Pakistan and Afghanistan agree that economic stability would be key to maintaining cordial relations. Pakistan in a humanitarian gesture recently scrapped tariffs and eased visa rules for people coming from Afghanistan. The government hopes this would benefit millions who are at risk of facing an acute food shortage, reported Voice of America.

Pakistan has also increased coal imports from Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the government. This resulted in a favourable trade  for Kabul for the first time in the history of bilateral relations. The annual trade between the two countries now stands at over $1.5 billion. Of this, Afghan exports comprised $800 million.

TTP ATTACKS

Khar’s visit comes just a day after the TTP, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, called ofF a three-month ceasefire agreement. The deal was agreed upon by the TTP and tribal leaders from Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Taliban in Afghanistan had facilitated the deal.

The TTP is a banned organisation in Pakistan. It is responsible for thousands of deaths since 2007. On Monday, the TTP ordered large-scale attacks across Pakistan.