Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations: Taliban Foreign Minister Muttaqi Seeks Peace Despite Border Clashes During Historic India Visit

Both Pakistan and Afghanistan desire positive relations and regional peace, Taliban's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi stated during his second press conference in New Delhi, which notably included women journalists.

Muttaqi's remarks followed Afghanistan's claim on Sunday that it had killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in overnight border operations, responding to alleged repeated violations of its territory and airspace. Pakistan's military reported significantly lower casualties, stating 23 troops were killed.

Addressing NDTV's Gaurie Dwivedi regarding the border clashes and Afghanistan's previous comments about alleged Pakistani attempts to attack Iran and Russia, Muttaqi expressed that despite border tensions, Afghanistan believes Pakistan's government and people are peace-loving. "There are certain groups in Pakistan attempting to provoke unrest. When it came to protecting our borders, we responded immediately," he explained.

Muttaqi mentioned that Qatar and Saudi Arabia had requested de-escalation of the situation. He assured that border conditions are now under control and negotiation channels remain open. He emphasized that the Taliban brought peace to Afghanistan and desires the same throughout the region.

This marks Muttaqi's first India visit since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. He arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for a six-day stay, including high-level discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

He is the first senior Afghan minister to visit India since the Taliban assumed control four years ago. Delhi has not yet formally recognized the Taliban administration.

His visit coincides with both India and Afghanistan experiencing strained relations with Pakistan over security and terrorism concerns.

Muttaqi's initial press conference in Delhi on Friday generated controversy after NDTV reported the absence of women journalists. Opposition parties described this as "unacceptable" and an "insult to women."

The following day, the Taliban minister attributed this to a technical issue. "Regarding the press conference, it was organized with limited notice. There was a short list of invited journalists. It was primarily a technical matter without other problems. Our colleagues decided to send invitations to specific journalists with no other intentions," he clarified.

"We have 10 million students in educational institutions, including over 2.8 million women and girls. In madrasas, education continues through graduation. Some restrictions exist, but we've never declared women's education religiously 'haram' - it's merely postponed until further notice," he added.

Before the press conference, NDTV had raised concerns about the absence of women journalists at the first meeting with Embassy officials and security personnel.

The Taliban regime in Kabul has faced extensive criticism from various nations and global organizations like the United Nations for restricting women's rights in Afghanistan.

During his first press conference, Muttaqi asserted control over the Embassy in New Delhi, with the Islamic Emirate's flag displayed prominently. "This is our flag. We fought jihad under this. This is 100 percent our embassy," he stated in response to a question.

Regarding talks with S Jaishankar, he said, "We discussed trade, economy, healthcare, aviation links and development projects. India assured readiness to facilitate trade visas, student exchanges, and restart stalled infrastructure works."

Muttaqi announced plans for new air connections, including Delhi-Kabul, Mumbai-Kandahar, and Amritsar-Afghanistan flight routes. He also requested India consider opening the Attari-Wagah border for Afghan goods and addressed the issue of Afghan detainees in India, seeking arrangements for their return.

A joint trade committee between India and Afghanistan will be established, and proposals for mineral cooperation, agricultural projects, and sports diplomacy were discussed, he noted.

Regarding the cross-border clashes, Afghanistan claimed killing 58 Pakistani soldiers, while Islamabad reported losing 23 soldiers.

Earlier that week, Afghan authorities had accused Pakistan of bombing Kabul and a market in eastern Afghanistan. Pakistan did not claim responsibility for these attacks.

Pakistan has previously conducted strikes inside Afghanistan, targeting alleged terror hideouts, though these were typically in remote mountainous regions. The two countries have experienced border skirmishes in the past.

Pakistan accuses Afghan authorities of harboring members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan group, claiming they conduct deadly attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul denies these allegations, stating it does not permit its territory to be used against other countries.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the assault and stated that Pakistan's army "not only delivered an appropriate response to Afghanistan's provocations but also destroyed several of their posts, forcing them to retreat."