Pakistan will designate an ambassador to Afghanistan, the first since Kabul fell to the Taliban in 2021, the country's foreign minister said on Friday, announcing an upgrade in diplomatic ties that shows some easing of tensions between the two neighbours.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, attends the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of The International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) in Hong Kong, China May 30, 2025. Reuters/Bertha Wang
Pakistan will designate an ambassador to Afghanistan, the first since Kabul fell to the Taliban in 2021, the country's foreign minister said on Friday, announcing an upgrade in diplomatic ties that shows some easing of tensions between the two neighbours.
Currently, Pakistan and Afghanistan's top envoy in each other's country is a charge d'affaires, a lower level than ambassador. Pakistan has not yet said who will be nominated to the upgraded post.
Announcing the decision to upgrade diplomatic representation, Pakistan's foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said bilateral relations had been on a positive trajectory since he visited Kabul with a Pakistani delegation last month.
"I am confident this step would further contribute towards enhanced engagement," he said on X.
Afghanistan's foreign ministry and Taliban's charge d'affaires in Islamabad did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
China, which hosted an informal meeting last week between the Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban administration, said afterward that the two countries planned to upgrade their diplomatic ties.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have had a strained relationship since the Taliban administration took power after the withdrawal of U.S.-led NATO forces.
Islamabad says that Islamist militants who launch attacks inside Pakistan use Afghan soil. Kabul denies this, saying such militancy is Pakistan's domestic problem to handle.
No country has formally recognised the Taliban administration since it took power, with foreign powers calling for it to change course on women's rights.
Pakistan becomes the fourth country after China, UAE and Uzbekistan to designate an ambassador to Kabul.
Although those governments say they have not formally recognised the Taliban's government, diplomats and experts say that having an ambassador officially present their credentials represents a step towards recognition.
By Asif Shahzad
Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement on Friday, raising hopes for an end to fighting that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year.
On June 25, the Democratic voters of New York City—home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel—chose a mayoral candidate who has called for the dismantling of the Jewish state.
Soldiers in Togo used tear gas and batons on Thursday to disperse hundreds of protesters who blocked main roads in the capital to call for the resignation of longtime leader Faure Gnassingbe, Reuters witnesses said.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.