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Afghan FM Muttaqi’s visit to India postponed over UN sanctions
A planned visit to India by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has been called off after failure to secure a travel waiver under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions, Indian media reported on Saturday.
The trip, which was scheduled for this month, was postponed after the required exemption for Muttaqi’s travel could not be obtained. If it had gone ahead, it would have marked the first ministerial-level visit from Kabul to New Delhi since the Islamic Emirate took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
Muttaqi is among several top IEA leaders subject to travel restrictions under UNSC sanctions. Such individuals must receive special approval to travel abroad, which in this case was not granted.
At a weekly media briefing, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about reports of Muttaqi’s proposed visit but refrained from commenting directly.
“As you are aware, we have longstanding ties with the people of Afghanistan. India continues to support the aspirations and developmental needs of the Afghan people,” he said.
“We continue to have engagements with Afghan authorities. If there is an update on this account, we will share it with you,” he said.
Earlier this year, on May 15, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a phone conversation with Muttaqi — the highest-level contact between India and Afghanistan since the IEA’s return to power.
While India has maintained humanitarian engagement with Afghanistan, New Delhi has not formally recognized the Islamic Emirate.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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