Pakistan, Taliban Agree To Expedite Trans-Afghan Railway Project

The call was made on Monday during talks between a visiting Taliban delegation and Pakistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Afghanistan and West Asia. The delegation was led by Noor Ahmad Noor, head of the First Political Directorate at the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry.

In a separate statement delivered the same day at the United Nations General Assembly session on Afghanistan, Pakistan’s ambassador said Afghan territory remains a base for terrorist groups, noting that an estimated 6,000 fighters from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) continue to operate against Pakistan from within Afghanistan.

The Taliban had previously pledged to assist in curbing cross-border attacks during Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s visit to Kabul in April. However, Pakistani officials have voiced concern over the Taliban’s lack of follow-through on those commitments.

Following the bilateral talks in Islamabad, Taliban officials also met with Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, Amna Baloch.

According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the discussions included security matters, regional economic cooperation, and the ongoing deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan.

The Pakistani side noted that efforts are being made to streamline legal travel for Afghan nationals. Over the past year, Pakistan has issued more than 500,000 visas to Afghan citizens, the statement said.

The two sides also discussed regional connectivity initiatives, expressing hope that the framework agreement for the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway project would be finalised soon.

Nader Yarahmadi, head of the Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants’ Affairs at Iran’s Ministry of Interior, stated that the expulsions were carried out through three designated border crossings into Afghanistan. He said the total number of deportees had reached 717,658 and confirmed that the process is ongoing.

Yarahmadi stressed that all undocumented migrants are required to leave Iran. “We have negotiated with Taliban officials to address the issues facing undocumented migrants,” he said, adding that Iranian authorities have resolved challenges related to transportation, shelter, clean water, and the provision of hot meals for those being deported.

Despite these assurances, human rights organisations and local reports have raised concerns that some deportations have included individuals with valid documentation. In several regions, migrants have reportedly been expelled without proper verification of their legal status.

Iran hosts one of the largest populations of Afghan refugees and migrants, many of whom fled conflict, economic hardship, or political repression following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.

Speaking during a UN General Assembly session on Afghanistan, Naseer Ahmad Faiq said the country has reached a critical crossroads under Taliban rule, experiencing severe setbacks across all sectors of society.

Faiq urged an end to gender discrimination and called for international efforts to establish accountability measures targeting the Taliban regime. He emphasised that Afghanistan needs a responsible, inclusive government that reflects the aspirations of all its people, including women and girls.

“The Taliban do not represent the people of Afghanistan in any way,” he said, adding that the group continues to reject the legitimate demands of Afghan citizens.

Faiq appealed to the UN Secretary-General to appoint a special representative for Afghanistan to help facilitate dialogue among all political and civil stakeholders in the country.

He also highlighted what he described as the institutionalisation of discrimination under Taliban rule, citing morality laws, the ban on girls’ education, the closure of universities, and the prohibition of women working in NGOs as evidence of systematic repression.

In addition, Faiq addressed the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from neighbouring countries, calling on Iran and Pakistan to take the issue seriously and respect migrants’ rights.

He warned that extremist groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda continue to pose direct threats to regional and global security. The rise of jihadist schools, he said, is fuelling radicalisation and must be addressed to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for terrorism.

The report, released this week, states that the National Resistance Front claimed responsibility for 56 of the attacks, while the Afghanistan Freedom Front claimed 16. The Afghanistan Freedom Movement also reported three attacks, all of which occurred in April.

UNAMA documented 11 additional attacks during the same period, although no group has claimed responsibility for them.

Three of the attacks have been independently verified by the UN, targeting the Ministry of Interior in Kabul, the district centre of Nijrab in Kapisa province, and Bagram Airfield in Parwan province. The number of casualties from these incidents remains unconfirmed.

UNAMA also noted that the Afghanistan Freedom Front was the only opposition group to declare a ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan.

The National Resistance Front, Afghanistan Freedom Front, and Afghanistan Freedom Movement are among the key groups that have sporadically launched attacks on Taliban targets since the fall of Kabul in August 2021.

These groups accuse the Taliban of widespread human rights violations, suppressing civil liberties, and governing without inclusive participation.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Khalilzad addressed President Donald Trump directly, stating that several Asian countries, including Afghanistan, are eager to explore mining partnerships with the United States.

He called for the development of comprehensive investment programmes to facilitate US engagement in mining sectors across the region, highlighting the strategic importance of timely decision-making.

“Afghanistan and others are ready to sign mining deals. The time to act is now,” Khalilzad wrote.

Afghanistan holds vast untapped reserves of copper, gold, oil, lithium and precious stones, with an estimated total value exceeding US$1 trillion. In recent years, the Taliban has prioritised resource extraction to stabilise its economy and circumvent international sanctions.

China, meanwhile, has significantly expanded its role in Afghanistan’s mining sector. Chinese firms have pledged more than US$7 billion in investments, particularly targeting lithium deposits. One of the largest projects, the Aynak copper mine, recently resumed operations after years of inactivity, bolstered by renewed Chinese funding.

Additionally, Beijing has secured major oil extraction agreements in the Amu Darya Basin, where production officially began in 2024.