By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have upgraded their diplomatic missions to full ambassadorial status, a move announced separately by both governments this week that signals a rare détente in their recent tense relationship.
The decision, facilitated by China, reflects a mutual intent to ease longstanding friction over border disputes, security threats, and economic ties, though significant challenges remain. The breakthrough follows a meeting hosted by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, where both nations agreed to elevate their diplomatic presence from chargés d’affaires to ambassadors, a status not seen in years due to persistent mistrust.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan welcomes the decision of the Government of Pakistan to upgrade the level of its diplomatic mission in Kabul to that of an ambassador,” the ministry wrote on X. “In reciprocity, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will elevate the status of its mission in Islamabad from chargé d’affaires to ambassador.”
Relations between the two neighbors have long been marred by disputes over the Durand Line, a 2,500-kilometer border established by British colonial rulers in 1893 and contested ever since. The porous frontier fuels trade and migration but also serves as a conduit for smuggling and militancy. The diplomatic upgrade raises hopes for better coordination, though analysts caution that deep-seated issues, terrorism, deportations, and political instability, could undermine progress.
China’s mediation highlights its growing regional clout, particularly through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multibillion-dollar infrastructure project it aims to extend into Afghanistan. The initiative could bolster Afghanistan’s economy, devastated by decades of war, but hinges on improved security and trust between Islamabad and Kabul.
Pakistan has long pressed Afghanistan to curb the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group with ties to the Afghan Taliban that has launched deadly attacks across the border. A rare rebuke from Afghan Taliban commander Saeedullah Saeed, who recently warned extremists against targeting Pakistan, suggests a possible shift, though enforcement remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s deportation of tens of thousands of Afghan nationals since last year has fueled Kabul’s ire, worsening a humanitarian crisis. A meeting last month between Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar hinted at détente, with both pledging “constructive” dialogue on security, trade, and migration.
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