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Pakistan envoy wraps up visit to Afghanistan; bilateral meeting schedules drawn up
The Pakistani representative stressed the need to utilize the full potential of regional trade and transit routes to benefit both nations.
Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, has wrapped up his three-day trip to Kabul where he met with a number of Islamic Emirate officials for talks on various topics including trade, bilateral relations, regional connectivity and security.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the visit also resulted in the finalization of a schedule for institutional relations and it was agreed that a Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting would be held before April 15.
According to a Foreign Office spokesperson, during his visit, Sadiq met Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi where both sides exchanged views on mutual interests, peace and security, trade, and economic cooperation.
Sadiq reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to continuous engagement with Afghanistan and emphasized the importance of resolving outstanding issues to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Both parties agreed to increase high-level interactions and discussions to enhance cooperation between the two countries.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said Afghanistan and Pakistan trade ministers will meet for talks before Eid-ul-Fitr and that Afghanistan’s Trade Minister Nooruddin Azizi is set to visit Pakistan after Eid to finalize trade-related matters.
Pakistan and Afghanistan also agreed to convene a high-level Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting in Kabul before April 15. Sadiq, along with civil and military officials, will participate in the JCC meeting, Pakistan media reported.
Sadiq also held a meeting with Afghanistan’s Acting Minister of Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, where they discussed bilateral trade, economic relations, and collaboration in regional trade corridors and connectivity.
The Pakistani representative stressed the need to utilize the full potential of regional trade and transit routes to benefit both nations.
Sanaa reported that upon returning to Pakistan, Sadiq briefed Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar about his meetings with Afghan officials, highlighting the outcomes and areas of progress in bilateral engagement and regional cooperation.
An Afghan man has pleaded guilty to sexual communication with a child in the United Kingdom. Najeebullah Arab appeared before a court in Oxford on May 8 and admitted to the offence, which took place in Grove in May 2024.
The 40-year-old had initially denied the charge and was expected to stand trial later this year. Court records stated that he made inappropriate comments to the child, including remarks about her appearance and requests to spend time alone with her.
Earlier this year, Arab also pleaded guilty to several other offences. These included one count of sexual assault linked to an incident in Grove on January 21.
He additionally admitted to charges of sexual assault, rape and kidnapping involving another woman on January 27. The court previously heard that he dragged a woman from an alleyway into a field during the incident.
Following the earlier hearings in March, a small group of protesters gathered outside the court building carrying flags and banners. Police officials praised the victims for coming forward and said the case reflected the strength of the evidence collected by investigators.
Arab is due to be sentenced for all offences on June 19. The court has ordered a pre-sentence report to assess whether he poses a danger to the public, while the judge ruled that he remain in custody until sentencing.
Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan says the National Archives digitized hundreds of historical documents, manuscripts and books during the 1404 solar year as part of efforts to preserve the country’s cultural and historical heritage.
According to the ministry, the National Archives digitized 741 books, 232 manuscripts, 358 decrees and one genealogy document over the past year.
The ministry also said that 830 books, 60 manuscripts and four decrees were restored and rebound during the same period.
In addition, 32 new manuscripts were handed over to the National Archives, further enriching the country’s collection of historical records.
Afghan officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of preserving historical documents and manuscripts, many of which date back several centuries and reflect the country’s rich cultural legacy.
Two people have been killed amid protests against a poppy eradication campaign in northeastern Badakhshan province, local officials said.
Authorities said counter-narcotics forces were deployed on Friday to Atan Jalo area of Argo district to destroy poppy fields. Clashes erupted after a number of farmers and residents reportedly attempted to block the operation.
Officials said a child was killed during Friday’s unrest, while another person died on Saturday as protests and tensions continued in the area.
According to local authorities, demonstrators also temporarily blocked the Kishm–Faizabad highway, disrupting traffic for several hours before it was reopened following coordinated efforts by security officials, religious scholars, and community elders.
Officials blamed “drug traffickers and criminal groups” for inciting the unrest and said security forces have since regained control of the area.
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