Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar landed in Kabul on Saturday on a day-long visit with security issues on top of the agenda as Islamabad deported more than 85,000 Afghans in just over two weeks. Earlier, Ishaq Dar departed to Kabul for his first official visit to Afghanistan. “The DPM/FM is leading a high-level delegation, comprising of the Special Representative for Afghanistan, Amb.

Sadiq Khan, SAPM Tariq Bajwa, federal secretaries for commerce, railways and Interior, as well as other senior officials”, Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a press release.Speaking to the media prior to his departure, Dar said Afghanistan is not only our neighbour but also a Muslim country. He emphasized that the two countries share deep-rooted brotherly ties which must be further strengthened.

He also highlighted the vast potential for cooperation between the two countries in areas such as trade, economy and investment. He said our aim is to foster collaboration that serves the mutual interests of the peoples of both countries as well as the region.

He said Pakistan has concerns regarding terrorism and discussions will be held with the Afghan side on this matter.Islamabad has launched a strict campaign to evict by the end of April more than 800,000 Afghans who have had their residence permits cancelled -- including some who were born in Pakistan or lived there for decades.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)