Abdul Bari Omar, head of Taliban's national electricity company, Breshna, announced that he met with Daler Juma, Tajikistan’s Minister of Energy, during a visit to Dushanbe to attend a regional summit on the CASA-1000 energy project.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Omar published photos from the meeting and stated that both sides exchanged views on “important issues.” However, further details of the discussions have not yet been disclosed.
Omar and his delegation arrived in Dushanbe on Wednesday, to participate in high-level meetings on CASA-1000, a major electricity transmission project connecting Central and South Asia via Afghanistan. Representatives from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, along with other stakeholders, are attending the summit.
According to Breshna, the summit’s agenda includes reviewing the current status of the project, addressing implementation challenges, and drafting a roadmap for future progress. The company reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the project's timely completion and operational launch.
“The CASA-1000 project not only boosts economic cooperation among participating countries but also serves as a significant step toward strengthening political ties and advancing sustainable regional development,” Breshna stated.
The visit comes amid historically tense relations between Tajikistan and the Taliban. Tajikistan has provided refuge to members of the National Resistance Front and other anti-Taliban groups and remains one of the few Central Asian nations that has not formally recognised or maintained diplomatic ties with the Taliban government.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has previously raised concerns over Afghanistan’s security situation under Taliban control and called for the creation of a regional security buffer around the country.
Nonetheless, a recent Eurasianet report suggests that both sides are cautiously working to improve bilateral relations, with the CASA-1000 summit offering a rare opportunity for direct engagement.
