Leaders of the Afghanistan interim government met with Pakistani officials in Doha to ease tensions following a new operation against the TTP, operating from Afghan soil. The strained relations between the countries due to the TTP and border skirmishes prompted the meeting. Pakistani diplomats hosted a dinner for the Afghan delegation during the Doha-III conference in a bid to improve relations.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban leader at the Doha conference, described the meeting with Pakistani officials as “good” and expressed hope for positive relations. Discussions included Doha-III, bilateral, and regional issues. Both sides emphasized a shared desire for regional peace and security.
A quadrilateral meeting involving Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Qatar focused on the Trans-Afghan Railway project connecting Uzbekistan and Pakistan through Afghanistan. The project aims to enhance connectivity in South & Central Asia. The discussions also touched on enhancing international engagement with the Afghan interim government, addressing the Afghan refugee situation, and unfreezing Afghanistan’s assets.
The meeting highlighted the need for repatriation of Afghan refugees and informed about nearly 700,000 Afghans arriving in Pakistan since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021.