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Pakistan stresses on release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets
Pakistan’s foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood on Monday stressed the importance of releasing Afghanistan’s frozen assets and facilitation of banking operations to ease the economic hardships of the Afghan people and help build a sustainable economy, Geo news reported.
During a meeting with China’s Special Envoy on Afghanistan Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong, the two officials exchanged views on the political and security situation in Afghanistan, humanitarian assistance by Pakistan and China to Afghanistan, and other matters of mutual interest.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Office, Mahmood underlined the importance for the Afghan side to address the international community’s expectations regarding: inclusivity, respect for the rights of all Afghans, girls’ education and effective counter-terrorism measures.
He also underscored Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful, stable, prosperous, and connected Afghanistan.
The foreign secretary highlighted the provision of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, including Pakistan’s relief efforts in the wake of the devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan on 22 June 2022, the report said.
In the context of regional connectivity, both sides exchanged views on the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan to promote economic development and prosperity.
He underscored that the international community’s focus should not be diverted from the dire situation in Afghanistan owing to events taking place elsewhere.
While emphasizing continued constructive engagement and practical cooperation with the IEA officials, Mahmood highlighted the central role of platforms such as Troika Plus and six neighboring countries of Afghanistan in advancing shared goals.
Special Envoy Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong appreciated the important and constructive role played by Pakistan in the context of Afghanistan. Both sides agreed that only a peaceful, stable and connected Afghanistan could “act as a fulcrum for enhanced regional trade and connectivity”.
The two officials met each other while Uzbekistan will host Pakistan and China in a conference on Afghanistan titled “Security and Economic Developments” scheduled to be held on July 25-26.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has called a United Nations report on Afghan opiates “tailor-made political propaganda” saying such publications do not help combat drug trafficking in Afghanistan.
The ministry said that the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, published in late October, recorded an increase in the cultivation, production and distribution of Afghan opiates for the first time since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) imposed a ban in 2022.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the report, which the IEA has already rejected as politically motivated, appears unbalanced and relies on indirect evidence, including satellite images that are open to different expert interpretations.
According to UN estimates cited in the report, the area under poppy cultivation increased from 10,200 hectares in 2025 to 43,300 hectares in 2026, while opium production rose from 300 tonnes to 1,470 tonnes.
The ministry acknowledged that Afghanistan’s drug problem still exists and said authorities in Kabul are aware of the issue. It added that Afghan security forces conduct almost daily operations in various parts of the country to destroy drug laboratories and seize narcotics.
According to the statement, more than 7.4 tonnes of various narcotics and over 4.7 tonnes of precursor chemicals were seized in Afghanistan over the past week, while two drug laboratories were dismantled.
Cooperation between the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment and the Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce has paved the way for exporting potatoes from Bamyan province to the Uzbek market.
In this regard, Sayed Karim Hashemi, President of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, and Doran Vahabov, President of the Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce, have agreed on the export of 100,000 tons of Bamyan potatoes to Uzbekistan. Work is underway to finalize the export agreement.
Meanwhile, the first shipment of potatoes, consisting of eight trucks, has departed for the Uzbek city of Termez through the Hairatan Port.
The chambers of commerce of both countries, in cooperation with local authorities in Bamyan, have facilitated connections between traders and farmers and coordinated the purchasing, marketing, and transportation of the produce. This initiative is expected to expand market opportunities for Bamyan farmers and strengthen trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
Afghanistan’s Prime Minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk in Kabul on Thursday evening, emphasizing the need to strengthen bilateral relations and expand economic cooperation between the two countries.
According to a statement from the Presidential Palace, several senior officials from both countries attended the meeting, including Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and representatives of Russia’s political and economic sectors.
Akhund described Afghanistan’s security and stability as favourable conditions for foreign investment and thanked Moscow for recognizing the Islamic Emirate and supporting Afghanistan in international forums.
Meanwhile, Overchuk praised the security situation and developments in Afghanistan, expressing Russia’s interest in investing in various sectors of the country.
He said around 70 representatives of Russia’s private sector were accompanying the delegation and were expected to hold discussions with relevant ministries and institutions of the Islamic Emirate on trade and investment agreements, as well as ways to address existing obstacles.
The Russian deputy prime minister reaffirmed his country’s support for Afghanistan in various fields.
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