Islamabad on Saturday voiced concern over certain parts of the joint statement released after a meeting between Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar in New Delhi.

The discussions took place during Muttaqi’s week-long visit to India, marking the first trip by a Taliban minister since the group took control of Kabul in August 2021.

Pakistan objected to the reference to Jammu and Kashmir and criticised the claim that “terrorism is Pakistan’s internal problem.” In response, Pakistan’s Additional Foreign Secretary (West Asia & Afghanistan) summoned the Afghan ambassador to convey Islamabad’s formal protest.

Details of the India-Afghanistan Meeting

During the meeting on Saturday, Dr. Jaishankar thanked Afghanistan for strongly condemning the Pahalgam terror attack that took place on April 22.

In the joint statement, both countries condemned all acts of terrorism coming from within the region. They stressed the need to promote peace, stability, and mutual trust in South Asia.

The two sides also agreed on the importance of respecting each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Afghan Foreign Minister reaffirmed that his government would not allow any group or individual to use Afghan soil against India.

Pakistan’s Strong Rebuttal

Soon after the statement was released, Islamabad rejected Muttaqi’s remarks. The Pakistani foreign office said, “Pakistan has repeatedly shared details regarding the presence of Fitna-e-Khawarij and Fitna-e-Hindustan terrorist elements operating from Afghan soil against Pakistan with support from elements within Afghanistan.”

It further argued that Muttaqi’s comment describing terrorism as “Pakistan’s internal matter” was an attempt to deflect responsibility. Pakistan also called on unauthorised Afghan nationals living in the country to return to Afghanistan.

Muttaqi’s India Visit

Muttaqi arrived in India on October 9 for a six-day visit after receiving a temporary exemption from the UN Security Council travel ban. His trip, scheduled until October 16, is seen as part of efforts to improve ties between New Delhi and Kabul.

Earlier, Muttaqi had expressed optimism about bilateral relations, saying, “The future of India-Afghanistan relations seems very bright.”