Pakistani envoy returns to Kabul after 5 months; Afghanistan welcomes development

• Pakistan's envoy assumes charge in Kabul.
• Calls on Afghan FM Amir Khan Muttaqi.
• Issues of mutual interest discussed in meeting.

ISLAMABAD: In a positive development, Pakistan Embassy’s chargé d’affaires in Afghanistan Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani assumed charge of his office five months after he was attacked in Kabul.

Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani survived unhurt then but one security guard suffered critical injuries in the attack on December 2.

The Foreign Office had then confirmed that the target of the attack was Nizamani. Later, the Khorasan chapter of the banned militant outfit Daesh accepted responsibility for the attack, which happened a month after the Pakistan diplomat had taken charge of his office.

Until November 4, 2022, before him, Mansoor Ahmed Khan had been the head of the Pakistani mission in Kabul.

Diplomatic sources said on Tuesday that the resumption of office by the Pakistani diplomat in Kabul was an important development prior to a visit by Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad with his country’s delegation in the first week of May.

It is also important to note that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had a telephone discussion with his Afghan counterpart last week.

Pakistan has blamed Afghan leaders for failing to fulfil their commitment to stopping terror attacks originating from their soil and warned of taking action.

After assuming the charge, the Pakistani diplomat called on the Afghan foreign minister and “discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interest”.

The diplomat also presented Quranic calligraphy by renowned Pakistani artists Asghar Ali and Naqash e Masjid-e-Nabvi.

In a separate statement, Afghan Foreign Office Spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said that Ubair ur Rehman met Amir Khan Muttaqi after returning to Kabul.

“Welcoming the Pakistani diplomat, FM Muttaqi expressed hope that his return will positively impact bilateral diplomatic relations,” he said.

During the meeting, FM Muttaqi termed the release of the majority of Afghans from Karachi prisons a positive step, calling for the remaining to be freed before the arrival of Eid ul Fitr.

The Afghan foreign minister also encouraged Nizamani to “further increase transparency in the visa issuance process”.

On his part, Nizamani also expressed hope that the relations between the two countries would improve with his return, adding that the Pakistani Embassy will work together with MoFA Afghanistan on a mechanism to facilitate visas.