Pakistan, Afghanistan to further strengthen legal movement across borders

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Monday agreed on two-sided efforts to further strengthen the legal movement of individuals across borders.

It was decided in the inaugural round of the additional secretary-level mechanism between the foreign ministries of Pakistan and Afghanistan held today in Islamabad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The bilateral talks were among the decisions reached during Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Senator Ishaq Dar's visit to Afghanistan on April 19.

The Pakistani side was led by Additional Secretary (Afghanistan & West Asia) Ambassador Syed Ali Asad Gillani, while the Afghan side was led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan's Director General, First Political Division Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor.

Discussions covered key areas of bilateral interest, including trade and transit cooperation, security, and connectivity. Both sides recognised terrorism as a serious threat to regional peace and security.

The Pakistani side emphasised the need for concrete actions against terrorist groups operating on Afghan soil, noting that such groups undermine Pakistan's security and hinder regional development.

The two sides exchanged views on deepening trade and transit cooperation.

They reviewed the implementation status of measures announced during the visit of DPM Dar to Kabul for facilitating Afghan transit trade, including the removal of a 10% processing fee, provision of an insurance guarantee, reduction in scanning and examination, and operationalisation of the track and trace system.

They underlined the importance of enhanced regional connectivity as a catalyst for sustainable growth and shared prosperity.

Noting the strategic significance of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway in that regard, they agreed to make concerted efforts towards the early finalisation of the framework agreement, the statement read.

The two sides also discussed matters related to the repatriation of Afghan nationals.

The Pakistan side shared an overview of its efforts to facilitate documented travel from Afghanistan, notably through the issuance of over 500,000 visas since January 2024 to date across a range of categories such as medical, tourist, business, and study.

They also reaffirmed their support for sustained engagement to address mutual challenges.

Both sides recognised lasting security as a cornerstone, for both the region's optimal development as well as for further advancement of bilateral relations.

They decided to convene the next round of the additional-secretary talks at mutually convenient dates.