Taliban FM Calls Pakistan's Treatment Of Afghan Migrants 'Provocative'

According to the report, the returning families entered Afghanistan through the Torkham, Spin Boldak, Pul-e-Abrisham, and Islam Qala border crossings.

A total of 450 families crossed from Pakistan via the Spin Boldak border in Kandahar province, while another 402 families entered through the Torkham crossing in Nangarhar. From Iran, 76 families returned through the Pul-e-Abrisham crossing in Nimruz province, and 49 families entered via Islam Qala in Herat.

The returns come amid Pakistan’s ongoing crackdown on undocumented Afghan nationals and those holding the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC). Authorities in Pakistan have recently accelerated deportation measures, leading to a sharp increase in cross-border movements.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced on Saturday that at least 44,900 Afghan refugees had returned from Pakistan between 1 and 11 April.

While Pakistani officials have reaffirmed that the deportation campaign will continue, the Taliban administration has criticised the move, describing it as a violation of fundamental humanitarian principles.

Speaking on Sunday evening, Hashemi described a recent visit by an Iranian delegation to Afghanistan as “successful,” noting that opportunities for Afghan investors in Iran are set to expand.

The governor’s visit to Herat and Farah provinces last week was part of a broader mission led by Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister. The delegation included the Director General for South Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development, and other senior officials. Their discussions with local Taliban authorities focused on enhancing trade and transit cooperation.

Hashemi stated that the visit spotlighted investment prospects in South Khorasan, and that Afghan investors responded positively to the initiatives proposed.

He added that more than 38 per cent of Iran’s exports last year were facilitated through the Mahirood border crossing. However, he stressed that the Mahirood–Farah highway remains incomplete after 15 years. “Completing this route is now our top priority,” he said.

In an effort to further boost bilateral trade, the governor invited Afghan traders to take part in the Iran–Afghanistan Trade Exhibition, scheduled to be held in South Khorasan from 9 to 12 June.

In a symbolic gesture during the visit, the Iranian delegation also attended Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque of Herat. Commenting on the occasion, Hashemi remarked, “By attending Sunni Friday prayers, we emphasised that Iran holds special respect for the people of Afghanistan. The Islamic Republic is the only country that has provided full security for Afghan nationals.”

He further expressed South Khorasan’s willingness to attract Afghan investment, particularly in the renewable energy sector. “We are prepared to offer opportunities for establishing solar power plants in the province to Afghan investors,” he said.

Iran has increasingly prioritised the development of ties with Afghanistan’s western provinces, including Herat, Farah, and Nimroz. As part of this policy, greater administrative authority has been granted to Iranian provincial governments to deepen trade and transit cooperation with Afghan counterparts. Plans are also underway to establish an Iranian consulate in Farah province.

The blast occurred around 8:30 a.m. near a Shia mosque in a predominantly Hazara neighborhood within the city’s second security district.

Taliban authorities have not yet commented on the incident, and details regarding injuries or damage remain unclear.

The situation is ongoing, with further information expected as developments unfold.

According to the IRNA news agency, the delegation—which includes representatives from the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Governorate of South Khorasan—is focused on identifying logistical challenges, enhancing transport capacity, and facilitating increased economic cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.

Abdullah Arjaei, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development, said the expansion of the railway could significantly improve regional transit and provide new opportunities for the Iranian private sector to engage in Afghan infrastructure projects.

“The volume of transit through the country should increase to 40 million tonnes annually, and this is not possible without sufficient attention to neighbouring countries and the completion of east-west and north-south corridors,” Arjaei stated.

He also emphasised the strategic importance of linking Afghanistan to European markets and international waters, noting that Iran is well-positioned to facilitate such access.

The Khaf-Herat railway connects Iran’s national rail network to Herat in western Afghanistan and is considered a vital component of the East-West international rail corridor. The 2,000-kilometre route spans China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkiye, and Europe, offering a major transit corridor for goods across the region.

The sentences were carried out publicly on Sunday in front of a large crowd, according to local Taliban officials.

The public punishments come amid a broader campaign of corporal sentencing by the Taliban, which has drawn widespread international condemnation for its lack of due process and judicial transparency.

A day earlier, the Taliban judiciary announced that 13 people — including three women — were sentenced in the provinces of Jowzjan and Khost to prison terms ranging from two to five years, along with 35 to 39 lashes administered in public.

According to Taliban authorities, the charges in those cases included “illicit relationships, bribery, insulting religious sanctities, and spreading false news.”

Human rights organisations and international bodies continue to express concern over the Taliban’s justice system, which operates without an independent judiciary, legal safeguards, or defence representation for the accused.

The latest incidents follow last week’s public execution of four individuals by Taliban authorities, underscoring the group’s ongoing use of harsh and controversial punishments under its interpretation of Islamic law.