Islamabad, Kabul agree to form border committees

NSA Moeed Yusuf discusses humanitarian assistance with Afghan Taliban officials

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Sunday agreed to form a high-level committee to address border issues, as National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf concluded his two-day trip to Kabul.

The development comes weeks after videos circulated on social media purportedly showing Taliban fighters uprooting a portion of the fence along the Pak-Afghan border.

During the visit, the NSA – who also heads the Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC) – called on Afghanistan Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi and Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to “discuss the current situation in Afghanistan and strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries,” an official statement said.

“Both sides agreed to establish a national-level coordination mechanism for enhancing facilitation at border crossing points and to expedite ongoing negotiations to conclude a new trade agreement,” the statement said, which was shared on Twitter by Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul, Mansoor Khan. The 2010 Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) has expired, and both sides have not yet reached a new agreement.

The statement went on to say that the objective of the visit was to discuss with the Afghan leadership the humanitarian requirements of the country and “Pakistan’s proposals for deepening economic engagement to overcome the current challenges Afghanistan is facing”. The envoy added that the bilateral interaction also focused on trade, transit and people-to-people contacts.

It added that Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq and senior officials from relevant ministries were part of the delegation that accompanied the NSA.

Moeed Yusuf also held delegation-level meetings with Afghan ministers and senior officials dealing with humanitarian and economic issues.

“The visit yielded substantive outcomes in terms of forward movement on trade facilitation and social sector support […] both sides also agreed to initiate barter trade, modalities for which will be worked out immediately,” the statement said. During the visit, Pakistan offered Afghanistan capacity-building and training support in multiple sectors including health, education, banking, customs, railways and aviation.

The statement said both sides also reiterated their commitment to the early completion of three major connectivity projects: the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000), the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, and Trans-Afghan Rail project.

“Afghanistan and Pakistan emphasised their commitment to ensuring peace and stability in both countries. Dr Yusuf thanked the interim Afghan government for their warm hospitality,” the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Khan said that the NSA and the Pakistani delegation also visited Jinnah Hospital in Kabul that was built by Pakistan. “The delegation saw its facilities and current operations. The Jinnah Hospital director apprised [them] about challenges [being faced] due to the financial situation,” he said, adding that Pakistan reiterated its continued support to the hospital.

“NSA Moeed Yusuf and the accompanying inter-ministerial delegation depart Kabul after a productive visit,” Ambassador Khan said in another tweet.

Earlier, a statement issued by the Information Ministry stated that the objective of the visit was to “discuss with Afghan leadership the humanitarian requirements of the country and Pakistan’s proposals for deepening economic engagement to overcome the current challenges Afghanistan is facing”.

Moeed Yusuf had arrived at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Saturday as part of his engagements with the interim leadership. He was welcomed by Acting Afghanistan Minister for Commerce and Industry Nooruddin Azizi upon his arrival at the airport. Senior officials, including Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq, were also part of the team.

According to a statement issued by the Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, the NSA expressed the government’s commitment to cooperation while considering both the countries’ economic potential. “We would work together to strengthen that view,” he said.

“The government is ready to cooperate on the Chaman and Torkham routes to facilitate transit and inbound and outbound arrivals,” it quoted the NSA as saying, adding that Afghanistan’s [Acting] Foreign Minister [Amir Khan Muttaqi] thanked the NSA for the cooperation. “He assured cooperation and called for facilitating the movement of people, patients and traders on both sides of the line,” it read.

The acting Afghanistan foreign minister, it read, said that the interim government had opened trade routes with Uzbekistan-Tajikistan and Turkmenistan for transit and expected the NSA to facilitate Afghan traders. “During the meeting, it was agreed to set up a joint committee of the two sides with a view to enhancing trade, resolving future barriers to trade and promoting trade,” it added.