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Khalilzad says India’s warm welcome of Muttaqi deeply unsettles Pakistan
He went on to state that Afghanistan and Pakistan should turn to diplomacy to preclude the continuation of the recent attacks and counter-attacks and avoid escalation.
Former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, has said that India’s cordial reception of Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, has sparked unease in Pakistan and anger among ISIS-Khorasan (Daesh) militants.
In a post on X, Khalilzad said Muttaqi received an exceptionally warm welcome from Indian scholars, administrators, and students at a prominent Deobandi Islamic seminary, during his visit to India this week. He noted that the enthusiasm surrounding the Islamic Emirate minister’s reception was “deeply unsettling” for Pakistani officials and their allies, given Islamabad’s long-standing influence over Afghan affairs and its own tense relations with New Delhi.
Khalilzad added that the event not only caused diplomatic discomfort in Pakistan but also provoked fury within ISIS-K, which views any engagement between the Islamic Emirate and non-Muslim governments as betrayal. According to Khalilzad, the group recently released a 12-minute audio message condemning the IEA for “collaborating with Hindus and Christians against true Muslims.”
“That’s quite an insult to the 200 million Muslims of India,” he added.
He went on to state that Afghanistan and Pakistan should turn to diplomacy to preclude the continuation of the recent attacks and counter-attacks and avoid escalation.
“Siding with ISIS-K would not be a smart move for Pakistan. Afghanistan and Pakistan should cooperate against ISIS-K,” he said, adding that the “USA can and should assist.”
Muttaqi’s visit to India — his first since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in 2021 — marks a significant moment in Kabul-New Delhi relations, as India cautiously reengages with Afghanistan. His meetings have reportedly included religious scholars, political figures, and diplomatic representatives, focusing on regional stability, trade, and humanitarian cooperation.
India, which evacuated its embassy staff after the Islamic Emirate takeover, has since maintained limited diplomatic contact with Kabul through its technical mission in the capital, signaling a pragmatic approach to the new Afghan authorities.
Analysts say Muttaqi’s trip indicates a potential thaw between the two sides and reflects India’s growing interest in countering extremist threats while protecting its investments and development projects in Afghanistan.
The visit, however, comes at a sensitive time for Pakistan, which has seen escalating border tensions with the Islamic Emirate government and increasing attacks attributed to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — a group Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior Affairs says Sirajuddin Haqqani attended a graduation ceremony for more than 400 students of Noor-ul-Madaris Madrasa in Ghazni province.
The ministry said graduates from various departments of the madrasa received their graduation certificates at the ceremony.
According to the ministry, Haqqani highlighted the importance of education, good conduct and personal reform, while praising the contributions of religious scholars and clerics to the country’s academic and jihad-related efforts, as well as its reconstruction.
He also called on people to follow the teachings and example of religious scholars and predecessors and uphold their moral values and good conduct.
India has made it mandatory for Afghan Hindus and Sikhs who entered the country without valid travel documents to obtain visas to continue their stay.
The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs amended the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025, through a notification issued on Wednesday, The Hindu reported.
Under the amendment, Afghan Hindus and Sikhs who entered India on or before December 31, 2024, must obtain an appropriate category of visa to remain in the country.
The provision applies to those who entered India without valid travel documents or whose documents have since expired after seeking shelter due to religious persecution or fear of persecution.
The amendment retains an earlier exemption introduced on September 2, 2025, which allowed members of six non-Muslim communities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh to enter India without valid passports or visas. However, the latest notification requires them to obtain an appropriate visa after entering the country to continue their stay.
Afghanistan has the potential to generate up to 220 gigawatts of electricity from solar energy, yet it spends more than $280 million annually on electricity imports, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says.
In a post on social media platform X on Thursday, UNDP said tapping into the country’s solar energy potential could reduce its reliance on imported electricity and expand public access to clean and sustainable energy.
According to the agency, more than 80 percent of Afghanistan’s electricity needs are currently met through imports, despite the country’s estimated solar power generation potential of up to 220 gigawatts.
Afghanistan imports most of its electricity from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. Despite having considerable solar, wind and hydropower resources, the country has remained heavily dependent on foreign electricity supplies.
UNDP said that since 2021, its projects have helped more than 5.5 million people in Afghanistan gain access to clean energy.
The agency stressed the need for greater investment and cooperation among relevant institutions to harness Afghanistan’s solar energy potential and expand sustainable domestic electricity generation.
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