KABUL — On Wednesday, August 20, 2025, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister met with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, on the sidelines of the 6th Trilateral Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan.
Both ministers expressed satisfaction with the positive direction of their countries’ relationship, noting the recent elevation of their diplomatic representation to the ambassadorial level. This change was initially agreed upon during a trilateral meeting in Beijing on May 21, 2025.
Reflecting on recent meetings, the ministers noted that most of the decisions made during the Deputy Prime Minister’s visits to Kabul on April 19 and July 17, as well as the Beijing meeting, have been or are close to being implemented. These actions have improved relations between the two countries, particularly in trade and transit.
While acknowledging progress in political and commercial ties, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister raised concerns about the slow progress on security matters, specifically counter-terrorism. He pointed to a recent rise in terrorist attacks inside Pakistan carried out by groups operating from Afghan soil. He urged Afghan authorities to take concrete and verifiable action against groups like the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA)/Majeed Brigade.
In response, the Afghan Acting Foreign Minister reaffirmed Afghanistan’s commitment to ensuring its territory is not used by any terrorist group to harm Pakistan or other nations.
The Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister also thanked the Afghan authorities for their hospitality and congratulated them on successfully hosting the trilateral dialogue.
