Tuesday, Jul 08, 2025 | 12 Muharram 1447
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2025 | 12 Muharram 1447
Pakistan and Afghanistan on Monday held the inaugural round of Additional Secretary-Level talks in Islamabad, aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade, transit, and regional security.
The meeting was convened under the Additional Secretary-Level Mechanism, established following the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan to Kabul on April 19, 2025.
The Pakistani delegation was led by Ambassador Syed Ali Asad Gillani, Additional Secretary (Afghanistan & West Asia), while the Afghan side was headed by Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor, Director General of the First Political Division at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Pakistan, Afghanistan discuss trade relations, regional projectsenter link description here
The discussions focused on key areas of mutual interest, including trade and transit facilitation, security cooperation, and regional connectivity.
Both sides acknowledged terrorism as a significant threat to regional peace. Pakistan emphasized the need for effective measures against terrorist elements operating from Afghan soil, warning that such groups compromise Pakistan’s security and hinder broader regional development.
Progress on the implementation of trade facilitation measures, announced during the recent high-level visit to Kabul, was reviewed. These included the removal of a 10% processing fee, provision of insurance guarantees, reduction in scanning and examination, and operationalization of the track-and-trace system.
The two sides also highlighted the strategic importance of regional connectivity initiatives such as the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway. They agreed to expedite finalization of the Framework Agreement to unlock shared economic potential.
Matters concerning the repatriation of Afghan nationals and facilitation of legal travel were also discussed. Pakistan informed the Afghan side of its efforts to streamline documented movement, including the issuance of over 500,000 visas since January 2024 across multiple categories such as medical, tourist, business, and study.
Both delegations reaffirmed their commitment to sustained dialogue, underlining the importance of long-term peace and regional development. The next round of talks will be held on mutually agreed dates.
