Islamabad:
The first round with further secretary levels between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been completed with a focus on the implementation of decisions made under Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq DAR’s visit to Kabul on April 19.
The discussions were centered around key areas of mutual interest, including trade, transit cooperation, security and connection.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Pakistani delegation was led by additional secretary of Afghanistan and Western Asia Ali Asad Gilani, while the Afghan delegation was led by Moti Noor Ahmad Noor, Director General of the Political Division of the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the negotiations, both sides recognized terrorism as a significant threat to regional peace and security. Pakistan emphasized the need for crucial actions against terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory, stressing that such groups undermine Pakistan’s security and hinder regional development.
The two delegations also reviewed the progress of different agreements, including the removal of the 10% processing fee in Afghan transit trading, delivery of insurance guarantees, reductions in scanning procedures and activation of the track-and-tracking system.
The preliminary round of the additional secretary level mechanism between the foreign ministries in Pakistan and Afghanistan was held today in Islamabad according to decisions made during the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister in Pakistan in Kabul, Afghanistan, … pic.twitter.com/ekmh34xtuy
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficepk) July 7, 2025
In addition, the discussions covered Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway Framework Agreement, where both sides agreed to end it soon. Afghan citizens’ return to their homeland was also an important topic of discussion.
The briefing revealed that since January 2024, Pakistan has issued over 500,000 visas for medical, tourism, business and educational purposes. Both sides reiterated their obligation to facilitate legal movement of individuals across borders and improve bilateral ties.
The next round of negotiations will be planned on mutually agreed dates, with both countries confirming their support to strengthen sustainable cooperation to tackle shared challenges.
