Uzbek officials said on Thursday during a three-day conference in Termez city that Afghanistan should be integrated into regional economic and infrastructure projects as part of cooperation between Central and South Asia.

The Termez Dialogue, initiated by the government of Uzbekistan and hosted by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, brought together around 200 participants from Central and South Asia, Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Asia, and the Middle East.

The conference was attended by senior officials, experts, and representatives from various countries, including Afghanistan, and aimed to explore ways to strengthen economic and security ties between the two regions.

Uzbek officials emphasized that despite the Islamic Emirate not being officially recognized, Afghanistan should not be excluded from regional economic developments.

Meanwhile, the head of Uzbekistan’s Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies referred to major initiatives such as TAPI, CASA-1000, and the Afghan Trans railway, stating that there is a strong consensus in Central Asia for deepening cooperation with South Asia and including Afghanistan in this process.

The First Deputy Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan also highlighted the Trans-Afghan Railway, stretching from Termez to the southern seas, as a key project. He stated that the route has the potential to transform the region’s trade and economic outlook and lay the foundation for a common market of nearly two billion people.

On the first day of the conference, a deputy from Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry expressed the country’s readiness to participate in all regional initiatives, especially in areas such as infrastructure, transportation, trade, energy, and education. He called on the international community to recognize Afghanistan as a reliable partner and to invest in the development of its economy.

Suhail Shaheen, head of the Islamic Emirate’s political office in Doha, has claimed that both India and Iran have revised their long-held assumptions that the Islamic Emirate operate under Pakistan’s influence.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Shaheen described this shift as a “realistic and pragmatic approach, which is good for everyone.”

He also said the IEA is a “reality of today’s Afghanistan” as it “controls all territory and borders of the country”.

“The regional countries know this fact and, as such, they engage with the Islamic Emirate at various levels, which is a pragmatic and rational approach in my view,” he said.

While formal recognition of the IEA government remains elusive, Shaheen insisted that regional dialogue represents a critical first step. “It is through engagement that we can find solutions to issues,” he said.

Shaheen said while Kabul wanted good relations with Islamabad, they should be “reciprocated” and that a “blame game” is not in anyone’s interest.

“We have taken practical steps as far as it concerns us,” he said, noting that Afghanistan had started building checkpoints “along the line adjacent to Pakistan in order to prevent any one from crossing”.

“However, their internal security is the responsibility of their security forces not ours,” he said.

As tensions between India and Pakistan escalate, the International Crisis Group (ICG) has suggested that Islamabad’s outreach to European capitals for diplomatic support could provide the European Union and its member states with critical leverage to advocate for a more humane approach toward Afghan refugees.

In a commentary published Thursday, the ICG explained that the Pakistani government, preoccupied with growing hostilities along its eastern border, appears to have paused its controversial deportation campaign targeting Afghan refugees. This development, though likely temporary, offers a potential reprieve for thousands of vulnerable Afghans who have sought refuge in Pakistan.

“Islamabad’s calls upon major European capitals for diplomatic assistance in its effort to persuade New Delhi to scale down hostilities also provide the EU and member states with some sway,” the ICG stated. It urged EU to use this opportunity to pressure Pakistan to comply with international humanitarian norms, particularly the principle of non-refoulement, which bars the forced return of individuals to places where they face persecution or violence.

EU and member states should urge Pakistan to extend the status of registered refugees with UN-issued Proof of Residence (PoR) cards beyond 30 June 2025, for at least another year, ICG said.

The think tank highlighted that progress on this front could be facilitated by the Islamic Emirate, particularly if they address Pakistan’s security concerns by relocating fighters from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) away from the border.

While encouraging Pakistan to uphold its humanitarian obligations, the ICG also calls on the EU and its member states to fulfil their responsibilities by accelerating the relocation of Afghan refugees seeking resettlement in Europe. It further recommends that the EU enhance its gender-responsive aid programs for both refugees and host communities in Pakistan, as well as for returnees in Afghanistan.

“The need of the hour,” the ICG concluded, “is a more humane approach by both Islamabad and Brussels toward a refugee population that is desperately in need of international support.”