Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi and his accompanying delegation met with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, in Islamabad to discuss bilateral issues.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, both sides discussed the development of bilateral relations, the dignified return of Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan, the growth of trade, and the facilitation of the transit process.

During the meeting, the Afghan delegation emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two countries to improve the economic situation and called for further facilitation in exports and imports.

“The (Afghan) side raised with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister the issues of halting forced deportations of refugees until a suitable time is provided, arbitrary detentions, the expulsion of refugee students from schools in Pakistan, the provision of necessary facilities for the transfer of Afghan refugees’ belongings and assets, and unobstructed access to health and medical services,” said Abdulsalam Jawad Akhundzada, a spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

Akhundzada added: “This meeting was held within the framework of joint efforts to address the challenges faced by Afghan refugees and to improve trade and transit relations between the two countries.”

Azizi also met with Pakistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry officials to encourage investment.

He emphasized expanding economic cooperation between the two countries and urged Pakistani traders and industrialists to invest in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, members of Afghanistan’s private sector also consider the Islamic Emirate’s efforts to expand economic relations with Pakistan as important.

This visit by the IEA delegation to Pakistan comes shortly after Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, also visited Kabul two days earlier.