Taliban Minister of Refugees Abdul Kabir has urged Pakistan to resolve bilateral tensions through dialogue, emphasising that closing the Torkham border, war, and violence are not viable solutions.
During a meeting with Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul, Kabir called for diplomatic engagement to address ongoing issues between the two countries.
The Torkham border, a key crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, has been closed since 22 February, triggering multiple clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards over the past two weeks.
On Thursday, the Taliban Ministry of Refugees stated that Abdul Kabir had called for an end to “destructive actions” at the crossing and urged its reopening to mitigate financial losses for traders and ease difficulties for travellers.
The prolonged closure has stranded thousands of trucks on both sides of the border, causing millions of dollars in daily losses for businesses. Despite several rounds of negotiations, Taliban officials have been unable to reach an agreement with Pakistan to reopen the crossing.
Abdul Kabir also appealed to the Pakistani government to extend the deadline for Afghan refugees to return, arguing that the current timeline for expulsions is impractical. He urged Pakistan to handle the situation with patience and tolerance, stressing the humanitarian implications of forced deportations.
Reaffirming the Taliban’s commitment to regional cooperation, Abdul Kabir assured that the Taliban does not seek to create problems for neighbouring countries.
In a separate meeting with Alireza Bikdeli, the Iranian Ambassador to Kabul, Abdul Kabir stressed that border disputes should be resolved through bilateral and trilateral talks. He also called on Pakistan and Iran to ensure the humane treatment of Afghan refugees in line with international migration principles.
According to the Taliban Ministry of Refugees, Nizamani assured Kabir that he would relay the discussions to Pakistani authorities and pledged that Afghan refugees in Pakistan would not be used for political purposes.
