News Brief
India-Taliban Diplomacy: High-Level Meeting In Kabul Amidst Rising Tensions With Pakistan After Pahalgam Terror Attack
Indian diplomat responsible for managing relations with Afghanistan met the Taliban's interim foreign minister in Kabul
The Indian diplomat responsible for managing relations with Afghanistan met the Taliban's interim foreign minister in Kabul, with discussions focusing on political ties and regional developments, particularly amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Hindustan Times reported.
Recently appointed as the joint secretary of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran of External Affairs Ministry, M Anand Prakash had a meeting with Muttaqi in Afghanistan's capital on Sunday (27 April). The deputy spokesperson of the Taliban’s foreign ministry Hafiz Zia Ahmad, made a statement on social media regarding their discussion on "recent regional political developments", however, he did not provide any specific details.
During the meeting, topics such as bilateral political relations, trade, and transit were discussed. Muttaqi highlighted the importance of fostering diplomatic and economic ties and encouraged Indian investors to leverage the promising investment opportunities available in Afghanistan, according to Ahmad.
The Taliban’s foreign ministry has strongly condemned the 22 April terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead. The ministry emphasised that such incidents pose a threat to regional security. "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs unequivocally condemns the recent attack on tourists in the Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir, and extends our sympathies to the families of the victims," the foreign ministry condemned the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26, in a statement issued on 23 April.
"These occurrences sabotage attempts to maintain security and stability in the region," the statement said as quoted by the Hindustan Times.
Prakash also had a meeting with the former president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, where they talked about the regional conditions and fortifying the relationship between India and Afghanistan.
