Pakistan, Afghanistan vow to strengthen security, address cross-border concerns

Defence affairs analysis

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar called on Afghanistan’s Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani in Kabul on Thursday, where the two sides held in-depth discussions on regional security cooperation and border management.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the signing ceremony for the framework agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Corridor, a landmark regional connectivity project aimed at linking Central Asia to Pakistani seaports through Afghanistan, the Foreign Office said on X.

During the talks, both sides reaffirmed the importance of eliminating security threats in the region and emphasised the need for close cooperation to maintain peace and stability.

Dar stressed the critical importance of addressing all issues of concern, particularly related to security and border management, to unlock the full potential of economic cooperation and regional integration.

The discussion comes against the backdrop of Pakistan’s recent efforts to deepen strategic and security cooperation with international partners.

The engagement came shortly after Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan signed the framework agreement for the Naibabad-Kharlachi rail link, a major milestone in the UAP Railway Project.

Representing Pakistan at the Kabul ceremony, Dar called the project a “transformational” step toward regional economic integration.

He also credited the previous PDM government, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, for laying the foundation of the initiative during his tenure as Finance Minister.

As part of the same visit, Dar also met with Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Both sides agreed to maintain momentum in bilateral relations and enhance cooperation in trade, transit, and security to support shared regional goals.

During that meeting, both sides agreed to explore the inclusion of enhanced security-related aspects within their Strategic Engagement Plan and reaffirmed a shared commitment to diplomacy, multilateralism, and peaceful conflict resolution.