Pakistan, Taliban To Elevate Diplomatic Ties To Ambassador Level

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mujahid described the attack in Khuzdar district, which claimed the lives of several children, as unjustifiable, stating that violence against civilians, especially children, is inexcusable under any circumstances.

Responding to suggestions from some Pakistani authorities that Afghan-based groups may have been involved, Mujahid rejected the claims as unfounded and lacking evidence. “There is no proof indicating that these attacks were planned or executed from Afghan soil,” he stated.

The bombing targeted a bus carrying students from a military-run school, killing at least six children and injuring 43 others.

In the wake of the attack, Pakistani authorities initially pointed fingers at India. The Pakistani military claimed the bombing was orchestrated and directed by Indian intelligence, and executed through proxy agents operating in Balochistan.

According to the military’s statement, India is seeking to destabilise Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces following setbacks in recent confrontations. The statement also referenced previous incidents, including the attack on the Jaffar Express train and the kidnapping of Pakistani soldiers by Baloch separatists, as part of what it alleged to be a coordinated campaign involving both Indian and Afghan actors.

The Taliban has urged Pakistan to approach such incidents with restraint and to avoid inflaming tensions through unsubstantiated allegations.

The mass deportations took place on Tuesday, 20 May, highlighting ongoing challenges faced by Afghan refugees in neighbouring countries.

The Commission reported that a total of 3094 Afghans were deported of which 1908 deported from Iran and 1186 deported from Pakistan. The returnees entered Afghanistan through multiple key border crossings, including Torkham, Spin Boldak, Bahramcha, Pul-e-Abrisham, and Islam Qala.

Of those deported, 374 individuals were transferred from Kabul to various provinces, including Paktia, Khost, Laghman, Nangarhar, Baghlan, Kunduz, Takhar, Samangan, Balkh, Badakhshan, Faryab, and Sar-e Pol.

According to the Taliban commission, the returnees collectively received over 6 million Afghanis in humanitarian assistance upon arrival.

The deportations come in the wake of diplomatic engagements by the Taliban. On Sunday, Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran to discuss bilateral issues, including the treatment and return of Afghan migrants. Similar discussions were also held earlier with Pakistan’s special envoy, Mohammad Sadiq.

However, ongoing daily reports from the Taliban’s migrant commission suggest that these high-level diplomatic talks have so far had little tangible impact on curbing the pace of deportations from either Iran or Pakistan.

According to the Taliban’s Supreme Court, the individuals were sentenced on charges including “sexual relations outside of marriage,” the sale of hashish, and other drug-related offences.

On Tuesday, 20 May, a man and a woman in Kunduz were each sentenced to 39 lashes and three years’ imprisonment for alleged extramarital sexual relations. In a separate case in Kabul, another man and woman were flogged on similar charges.

Five additional men were publicly flogged in Kabul for allegedly selling hashish and other recreational drugs. These men received prison sentences ranging from eight months to three years and were subjected to between 20 and 30 lashes, according to the court’s statement.

The Taliban has not released details regarding the legal procedures or the rights afforded to the accused during trial. Over the past week, the group has flogged at least 25 people, including five women, across various provinces for a range of alleged offences.

The Taliban describes these punishments as the enforcement of Islamic Sharia. Despite strong condemnation from international human rights organisations, which regard public corporal punishment as a form of torture, the Taliban continues to carry out floggings and executions in public venues.

Since reclaiming power in August 2021, the Taliban has reinstated harsh judicial practices reminiscent of its previous rule, drawing widespread international criticism.

In a statement released Wednesday, May 21, the ministry shared a photograph of the meeting and said, “They exchanged views on engagement with Afghanistan as well as efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in the country.”

Türkiye remains one of the few nations to have kept its embassy in Kabul operational following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. In recent months, Afghanistan’s embassy and consulates in Türkiye have also come under the control of Taliban-appointed representatives.

While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has openly criticized the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls, Ankara has maintained a cautious diplomatic approach toward the de facto rulers of Afghanistan.

China, by contrast, has pursued a more stable and pragmatic policy, sustaining close ties with the Taliban over the past four years. Beijing has accepted the Taliban-appointed ambassador and established active diplomatic relations with the regime in Kabul.

However, despite their varying approaches, neither Türkiye nor China has officially recognized the Taliban government.

The meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi focused on strengthening economic cooperation and bilateral relations.

Muttaqi underscored the importance of ongoing collaboration between Taliban commissions and their Chinese counterparts, and reaffirmed the Taliban’s commitment to regional security. He assured Chinese officials that Afghan territory would not be used to threaten neighbouring countries.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, deputy spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrote on the social media platform X that Wang Yi had pledged continued political and economic support for Afghanistan. Yi also reportedly committed to addressing trade barriers, particularly in facilitating Afghan agricultural exports to China.

According to Takal, the Chinese foreign minister stated that China would not hesitate to support Afghanistan’s economic development.

In addition to the bilateral meeting, China also hosted an informal trilateral dialogue with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and the Taliban. Wang Yi, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Amir Khan Muttaqi discussed regional security and economic integration, agreeing to extend the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan.

A statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the three parties viewed trilateral cooperation as a critical platform for advancing regional security and economic connectivity.