Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Murat Nurtleu, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, discussed the need to strengthen bilateral ties during a phone call on Thursday, Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, the head of public relations at Foreign Ministry, said that the two sides also discussed strengthening bilateral relations, expanding trade and transit, and enhancing the level of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Muttaqi described Kazakhstan as one of the key countries in Central Asia and expressed hope that both nations would continue working together for the development and prosperity of the region by utilizing the existing potential.

He emphasized the importance of Afghanistan’s relations with Kazakhstan and reaffirmed his commitment to expanding cooperation in various sectors.

The Kazakh Foreign Minister also called for increased engagement at the level of foreign ministries. He further announced that he would pay an official visit to Kabul in the near future.

Nurtleu stated that his country is ready to invest $500 million in the construction of the Torghundi–Herat railway project in Afghanistan.

Drastic funding reductions to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) are endangering the lives and well-being of millions in Afghanistan, where access to maternal and reproductive healthcare remains a lifeline for women and girls in one of the world’s most acute humanitarian crises.

On a recent visit to Afghanistan, UNFPA’s Deputy Executive Director Andrew Saberton, visited clinics in Kabul, Bamiyan and along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to assess the impact of the funding shortfall.

What he witnessed, he said, was both inspiring and alarming.

In a remote village clinic in Bamiyan, teenage girls received vital reproductive health education and basic menstrual hygiene kits—an experience that left them hopeful and empowered, UNFPA said in a statement.

Women, some heavily pregnant and others carrying newborns, walked for hours to reach these clinics, seeking the maternal care they desperately need.

UNFPA said health workers in these areas—often difficult to access and underserved—continue to provide essential services with unwavering dedication, despite mounting challenges.

“I saw and understood the devastating impacts that the massive cuts to UNFPA will have in one of the world’s greatest humanitarian crises,” Saberton said during a briefing in New York.

“It’s a crisis that may be off the radar of the news, but it remains one of the most serious globally.”

UNFPA had been providing critical maternal health services across the country, including family planning, psychosocial support, and mobile healthcare—resources that are vital in a country with one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.

Severe Funding Reductions

The United States recently announced cuts of $330 million to UNFPA globally, with $102 million directly affecting operations in Afghanistan.

These funds would have supported essential services such as family health and mobile outreach, particularly in remote areas.

The consequences are dire. UNFPA estimates that 6.9 million women and children will be impacted.

Of the 900 clinics currently supported by the organization in Afghanistan, only around 400 will be able to continue operations under the reduced budget.

Despite the setbacks, UNFPA has no plans to scale back its presence. “UNFPA will be staying to deliver,” Saberton emphasized.

“But we cannot sustain our response without help. We need urgent support to keep these services running and to protect the dignity, health, and lives of Afghan women and newborns.”

The Pakistan government has repatriated approximately 1.3 million Afghan refugees in its deportation drive since November 2023, Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik said on Wednesday, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

Responding to a question raised by lawmaker Anjum Aqeel Khan during a parliamentary session, Malik said around three million Afghan refugees were residing in Pakistan. “Of these, 813,000 hold Afghan Citizen Cards (ECC) while 1.3 million possess Proof of Registration (PoR) cards,” he was quoted as saying.

He highlighted that Afghan nationals who wish to enter Pakistan for medical treatment, education, or business purposes are welcome to do so provided they obtain a Pakistani visa and carry valid documentation with them.

Earlier this year, the country’s interior ministry asked all “illegal foreigners” and ACC holders to leave the country before March 31, warning that they would otherwise be deported from April 1.

Authorities subsequently started deporting thousands of Afghan nationals from all parts of the country.

In total, Pakistan has hosted over 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland.