‘Pak-Afghan discuss regional peace, stability challenges’
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LAHORE: Interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani discussed “Challenges confronting regional peace and stability” with his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi in meeting in Tibet.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in statement released on social networking platform X stated that Jilani “Underscored that challenges confronting regional peace and stability be addressed in collaborative spirit through collective strategies”.
Jilani is in China on two-day official visit to participate in third Trans-Himalayan Forum for International Cooperation, being held from October 4-5. “FM reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthen bilateral ties with Afg[hanistan],” Ministry said in post.
Meeting comes two days after Pakistan’s caretaker government gave an ultimatum to all illegal immigrants, including Afghan nationals to leave Pakistan by November 1 or risk imprisonment and deportation to their respective countries.
In similar development, Foreign Office of Pakistan categorically rejected impression that an ongoing operation against illegal immigrants targeted a particular nationality.
“Ongoing action envisages repatriation of individuals who have either overstayed their visas or do not have valid documents to stay in Pakistan,” said FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch at weekly press briefing.
Pakistan decided to evict illegal immigrants following an uptick in terror activities, notably in provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In last week’s deadly bombings targeting religious gatherings at least 64 people, including children, were killed. One of suicide bombers identified was as an Afghan national, according to interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti.
Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid urged Pakistani authorities to revisit policy. Fourteen of 24 suicide bombings in Pakistan this year were carried out by Afghan nationals, according to Bugti.
Published in The Daily National Courier, October, 06 2023
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