Pak envoy meets Taliban foreign minister, discusses bilateral cooperation

Islamabad [Pakistan], September 15 : Pakistan's envoy to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan on Tuesday met the Taliban interim government's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation between both countries.
"Called on the new Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mutaqi and discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation particularly facilitating humanitarian, economic and people to people exchanges," Khan tweeted.
This is the first meeting between a Pakistani official and the representative of the interim Afghan government. Although the two sides have been in regular contact even before the announcement of the interim Afghan government announced last week, The Express Tribune reported.
The meeting, according to the Taliban spokesperson, took place at the ministry of foreign affairs of Afghanistan. Sohail Shahin said the two discussed "smooth movement of people at Torkham and Spin Boldak and problems of Afghan refugees in Pakistan," the Pakistani publication reported.
According to The Express Tribune, Pakistan is not accepting any new refugees from Afghanistan and only permitting people who need medical treatment, foreigners and evacuees who have valid travel documents through its land routes with Afghanistan.
The Torkham, which is the main border crossing, was closed for pedestrian movement by the Afghan Taliban on Monday. However, the border was reopened on Tuesday.
"Pakistan ambassador promised to facilitate the movement of the people at Torkham and Spin Boldak and resolve problems faced by the Afghan refugees there. The two also discussed the bilateral relationship and the humanitarian aid," The Express Tribune quoted the Taliban spokesperson as saying.
Afghanistan plunged into crisis last month after Kabul fell to the Taliban and the democratically elected government of former president Ashraf Ghani collapsed.
At a UN meeting in Geneva on Monday, the international community pledged to provide over USD 1 billion in humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Muttaqi on Tuesday said that it wants good bilateral relations with the world's countries, including the United States. He also thanked the world for pledging hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency aid to Afghanistan, reported Tolo News.
Muttaqi also called on the countries, especially the Asian Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank, to provide development funds to Afghanistan.