PESHAWAR: In his first visit to Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has called on Afghanistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund in Kabul on Wednesday.
Deputy Afghan Prime Minister Maulvi Abdul Salam Hanafi welcomed the Foreign Minister at the Presidential palace. “Afghan PM Mullah Muhammad Hasan Akhund received FM Qureshi at Arg. Bilateral talks underway in presence of leading Afghan Ministers for facilitating people to people interaction, trade, transit and connectivity between two brotherly nations,” Pakistan ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan said in a Twitter post.
The official statement said that issues of mutual interest, cooperation in trade and economic sectors and economic crisis were discussed during the meeting. Earlier, Qureshi arrived in Kabul on a one-day visit with a high-level delegation. According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Thursday, the interim Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Mottaki, Pakistani Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan and senior officials of the Afghan Foreign Ministry welcomed the Foreign Minister at Kabul Airport.
Special Representative of the Prime Minister for Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood, Secretary Commerce Saleh Ahmad Farooqi, Chairman PIA Air Marshal (retd) Arshad Malik, Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik, Customs, FBR and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are also ministers.
Qureshi will meet the caretaker Prime Minister of Afghanistan Mullah Hassan Akhund, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mottaki and other leaders. During these meetings, all aspects of bilateral relations and mutual interest, boosting trade and bilateral cooperation would be discussed. The Foreign Minister will brief Afghan leaders on Pakistan’s position on maintaining law and order in Afghanistan and its future course of action.
On the occasion, the Foreign Minister said that Pakistan, being a close brotherly neighbour of Afghanistan, was doing its utmost for regional peace and stability. “Pakistan has increased border crossing points to facilitate bilateral trade with Afghanistan. Pakistan has introduced a new visa regime to facilitate the movement between the two countries.” Qureshi added the Pakistan is working to promote trade with Afghanistan.
According to the statement, the Foreign Minister’s visit to Kabul is aimed at supporting the Afghan people in tackling the economic crisis, enhancing bilateral trade and economic and people-to-people cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.