Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, held a telephone conversation with Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister, Yermek Kosherbayev, to discuss strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry announced.

During the call, Minister Kosherbayev expressed his condolences to the Afghan people following the recent devastating earthquakes and said Kazakhstan would dispatch a humanitarian mission to Kabul, including medical personnel, medicines, and essential supplies.

Muttaqi thanked Kazakhstan for its continued support and noted that two humanitarian aid consignments—amounting to 3,700 tons—had already been delivered to Afghanistan this year.

Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, banking, mining, and digital technologies, and agreed to maintain regular political dialogue aimed at deepening friendly relations between the two countries.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) must ensure that militant groups operating from Afghan soil are restrained, emphasizing that regional peace depends on it.

“Afghanistan must understand that lasting peace can only be realized by reining in Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other terrorist groups operating from its territory,” the prime minister said while addressing the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference in Islamabad.

He noted that the theme of the conference, Peace, Security and Development, was both timely and relevant, especially for Pakistan, which has long advocated for peace through dialogue and diplomacy.

“We firmly believe that peace and security form the foundation of sustainable national and regional development,” he said, adding that “the true value of peace is most profoundly understood when we are confronted with conflicts that continue to plague our world.”

Referring to recent clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Shehbaz described Islamabad’s response as “firm and decisive,” saying it had delivered “an unforgettable lesson.”

He also commended Türkiye and Qatar for their role in facilitating peace talks between Pakistan and the IEA, adding that “a peaceful Afghanistan holds the key to regional connectivity, peace, and prosperity.”

“Peace has remained elusive for decades, but Pakistan has never lost hope,” the prime minister said. “We believe in a peaceful neighborhood and continue to strive toward that goal.”

His remarks came just days after the third round of talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul ended without agreement. Negotiators, with mediation from Türkiye and Qatar, failed to bridge differences on mechanisms to monitor and prevent cross-border terrorism.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif later stated that the negotiations were “over” and had “entered an indefinite phase.” He added that while the ceasefire remained in place, any violation “from their side” would be met with a “befitting response.”

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that three senior Turkish officials are expected to visit Islamabad this week to discuss tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Following the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) nationwide ban on opium cultivation in 2022, poppy production in Afghanistan has fallen sharply. However, new reports indicate that cultivation is now spreading to neighboring Pakistan and Iran, raising regional concerns about the shifting dynamics of the narcotics trade.

According to a report by Nikkei Asia, opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has declined to around 10,200 hectares in 2025 — a 20 percent decrease compared to the previous year. British geospatial research firm Alcis offered a slightly higher estimate of 12,800 hectares but confirmed that cultivation levels remain dramatically lower than before the IEA ban, when more than 200,000 hectares were used for opium production.

The Afghan Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday that activities related to the cultivation, trade, and trafficking of narcotics have been “effectively reduced to zero” inside Afghanistan. Over the past year, authorities reportedly seized and destroyed nearly 200,000 kilograms of natural and synthetic drugs.

Qasim Khalid, Deputy Minister for Counter-Narcotics, said that under the previous republic government, high-ranking officials were involved in sophisticated cross-border drug networks. He added that 750 traffickers have been arrested and are currently under investigation.

While Afghanistan’s production has dropped dramatically, Alcis reports that opium cultivation has increased in Pakistan, with more than 8,000 hectares under cultivation in just two districts of Balochistan. Iran has also experienced a rise in poppy farming, driven by surging opiate prices and growing demand for cheaper local supplies.

Experts warn that ongoing economic hardship, political uncertainty, and the large-scale return of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries could once again make opium cultivation an attractive livelihood for struggling rural communities. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) noted that “intensified competition for scarce jobs and resources could make opium poppy cultivation more appealing for many families.”

Analysts further caution that deteriorating relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, coupled with the recent deadlock in Istanbul talks, may increase the risk of a regional resurgence in the narcotics trade, undermining progress made since the Islamic Emirate’s 2022 ban.