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Doha Forum: Dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan key to regional connectivity
Qanit urged both countries to take a long-term view. “It is essential for Pakistan and Afghanistan to sit together and resolve these problems. If these crises continue, confidence in regional connectivity will erode.”
At the Doha Forum on Saturday, Afghan officials underscored the critical need for renewed dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan, warning that recent political tensions risk undermining the region’s broader connectivity and integration goals.
Abdul Hai Qanit, Director of the Center for Strategic Studies at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told participants that constructive engagement between Kabul and Islamabad is essential for long-term stability and economic cooperation.
“We can resolve all issues through dialogue,” Qanit said. “But we must not reach a point of no return, as there are significant interests tied to regional integration.”
He noted that Afghanistan has a strong interest in maintaining positive relations with Pakistan, but cautioned that recent developments are jeopardizing shared progress.
“Trade routes are being weaponized, geography is being politicized, and corridors are being used as leverage in political disputes,” he said. “This threatens the very concept of regional integration.”
Qanit urged both countries to take a long-term view. “It is essential for Pakistan and Afghanistan to sit together and resolve these problems. If these crises continue, confidence in regional connectivity will erode.”
Despite current tensions, he expressed optimism that the situation is temporary. “I believe this is a short-term crisis. The Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship will return to a positive track. Afghanistan can advance ongoing projects and serve not as a threat, but as a hub linking South Asia and Central Asia.”
Echoing this focus on cooperation, Dr. Eldor Aripov, Director of Uzbekistan’s Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies, emphasized that economic engagement remains the most effective way to support Afghanistan’s development.
“Different approaches are needed,” he said. “Our position is clear: economic cooperation is the best tool to help Afghanistan move forward.”
As discussions at the Doha Forum continue, regional leaders are exploring pathways to strengthen cross-border economic projects and expand connectivity across South and Central Asia.
A senior official from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says many Afghans living in Iran are facing increasingly difficult decisions as insecurity and economic hardship deepen across the region.
Arafat Jamal, the UNHCR representative in Afghanistan, told Al Jazeera that Afghans in Iran are caught between two difficult realities: remaining in Iran amid growing instability and economic strain, or returning to Afghanistan where many also face uncertainty and insecurity.
“At the moment, it seems to be more of a preemptive move,” Jamal said, referring to Afghans leaving Iran. “People are describing bombs falling around them. There is a great deal of fear, but they are also describing a dysfunctional economy.”
According to Jamal, approximately 110,000 Afghans have returned from Iran so far this year, many driven by fear of escalating conflict and deteriorating living conditions.
“For these people there are no good choices,” he said. “They are fleeing one war only to come to another,” Jamal added, referring to ongoing cross-border tensions and military activity involving Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The UNHCR official noted that the current wave of returns follows an already unprecedented movement of people.
In 2025, around 2.8 million Afghans returned to Afghanistan, making it the largest refugee return movement in the world that year.
Humanitarian agencies warn that Afghanistan is struggling to absorb such large numbers of returnees, particularly as the country faces widespread poverty, limited employment opportunities, and reduced international aid.
Jamal also cautioned that the United Nations currently lacks sufficient funding to maintain long-term assistance programs for returning refugees.
Without additional financial support, aid organizations may struggle to provide housing, food, and basic services to the growing number of returnees arriving in Afghanistan.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, held a telephone conversation with Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Oman’s Foreign Minister.
During the call, the two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Oman, as well as recent developments in the region.
Both sides described the latest developments in the Middle East as concerning and condemned the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, as well as the expansion of the conflict to other countries in the region.
They also discussed the recent situation between Afghanistan and Pakistan. In this context, Afghanistan’s foreign minister outlined the Afghan government’s position regarding Pakistan’s incursions and the Islamic Emirate’s reciprocal defensive measures.
At the end of the conversation, both sides emphasized the importance of diplomacy in addressing regional challenges and stressed that disputes should be resolved through dialogue.
The Ministry of Information and Culture on Tuesday honored political analysts, journalists, and media officials for their effective work in carrying out their responsibilities during a gathering in Kabul.
The event was attended by Shir Ahmad Haqqani, Minister of Information and Culture, along with several other officials, political analysts, media representatives, and journalists.
Speaking at the gathering, the minister said that safeguarding the current system and maintaining security is the responsibility of every member of society.
“The stance of political analysts and the activities of the media during times of conflict play an important role in raising public awareness and fostering political understanding among the people,” he said.
He added that the interests of the Afghan people are shared and that protecting those interests is a collective responsibility.
According to the minister, the media have a duty to reflect facts clearly and convey a real and accurate image of the country to the world.
He also stated that there is no linguistic, regional, or ethnic superiority among the people of Afghanistan and that unity and brotherhood prevail in the country.
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