Afghanistan's Taliban Government Receives Ambassador Appointment from Pakistan - Fourth Country to Establish Diplomatic Ties
Pakistan has decided to designate an ambassador to Afghanistan, marking the first such appointment since the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021. The move, announced by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, aims to strengthen relationships between the neighboring countries, which have been strained for a long time.
Dar made the announcement on Friday, stating that relations had improved since his visit to Kabul in April. According to him, the appointment of an ambassador would help maintain this positive momentum and is expected to bolster economic cooperation, foster increased bilateral trade, and enhance joint efforts to combat terrorism.
The diplomatic decision follows a trilateral meeting in Beijing between Dar, his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi, and their Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have historically been strained due to Pakistan's accusations that Kabul harbors the Pakistan Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an affiliate of the Afghan Taliban. Four years after the Afghan Taliban regained power, the TTP has become emboldened. There has been no response yet from Kabul regarding the latest development, although earlier signals indicated that both sides were considering an upgrade in diplomatic relations.
A significant population of nearly three million Afghan refugees and migrants reside in Pakistan, with many having sought shelter there for decades due to conflicts in their home country. Recently, there has been a surge in forced mass deportations of these refugees and migrants by Pakistan, leading to an uncertain future in Afghanistan.
Worth noting, Pakistan is not the first country to appoint an ambassador to Kabul. China, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan have also taken similar steps, although none of these governments have officially recognized the Taliban administration. Appointing an ambassador is considered a significant step towards closer ties but does not equate to formal recognition of the Taliban regime.
International powers have stated that they will not recognize the Taliban administration until it changes its stance on women's rights. However, diplomats and experts suggest that the presence of an ambassador officially presenting credentials represents a step towards encouraging recognition of the Taliban government.
- The breaking news of Pakistan's appointment of an ambassador to Afghanistan might signal a turning point in strained relations, which have been impacted by war, terrorism, and politics.
- The recent surge in forced mass deportations of Afghan refugees and migrants from Pakistan raises concerns about their uncertain future, particularly given the historical conflict and terrorism links between the two countries.
- Despite international powers' refusal to recognize the Taliban administration due to concerns about women's rights, the appointment of ambassadors from countries like Pakistan could be a step towards encouraging broader recognition of the Taliban government in the realm of general-news.
