Afghanistan’s Charge d’Affaires to Pakistan, Sardar Ahmad Shakib, has stated that Pakistan is like a second home to Afghans and that the current government has no involvement in the violent incidents taking place in Pakistan.

Speaking at a seminar at the Institute of Regional Studies in Islamabad (IRS), Shakib said: “We do not want instability in Pakistan. Some individuals may cross the border, but the caretaker government of Afghanistan has no role in these violent incidents.”

The seminar was titled “Strengthening Economic Ties between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia”.

Shakib said that insecurity in Pakistan negatively impacts Afghanistan and the entire region, reaffirming that Afghanistan does not wish for conflict in its neighborhood but is committed to an economic-driven policy aimed at regional connectivity.

He also highlighted that economic and trade relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan should not be tied to security issues, as this would serve the mutual interests of both countries and the region.

Shakib discussed Afghanistan’s unique geographic position and the potential for regional projects, particularly in energy and water management, as well as the extraction of natural resources.

He underscored that Afghanistan, with its strategic location, can play a key role in connecting the region through shared initiatives, benefiting from its rich natural resources and efforts towards energy production and water management, which can foster stability across the region.

He also addressed economic ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan, expressing concern over recurring border closures, sudden tariff hikes, unnecessary inspections of transport trucks, issues with Pakistani visas, and other challenges that affect trade relations, impacting not only the governments but also people on both sides of the border.

“Afghanistan is an important trade partner for Pakistan in the region, particularly in terms of transit and exports. There are significant trade facilitation measures in place through the Chaman and Torkham crossing points, and these relations hold vital importance for both economies.

“However, the level of trade has continually faced difficulties due to some problems, though the Islamic Emirate always believes in a better future,” he said.

He said trade relations between the two countries continually face significant obstacles.

“Absence of modern trade agreements between the two countries, dumping policies, frequent closures of crossing points, limited customs facilities, sudden and unilateral increases in tariffs, unnecessary checking of loaded vehicles, and other issues have hindered trade flows,” he said.

He said the first step to improve relations would be to invest in trade infrastructure and to streamline customs processes.

In addition, he suggested the building of mutual trust and enhancing diplomatic dialogue was critical in terms of achieving long-term trade benefits.