Pakistan will ‘participate’ in UN-hosted Doha talks on Afghanistan.
Pakistan has confirmed its participation in the upcoming United Nations-hosted talks on Afghanistan that will take place in Doha this weekend.
The Pakistani delegation will include Asif Durrani, the Special Representative on Afghanistan, and Ahmad Naseem Warraich, the Assistant Secretary for West Asia from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This meeting marks the third round of the Doha talks and will feature representatives from the Taliban, who had previously denied to attend the second round due to the presence of women and civil society members.
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Their participation this time is important as it will be the first direct engagement between the Taliban’s interim government and international representatives.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, the formal recognition of the Taliban’s interim government remains off the table.
Pakistan has repeatedly asked the Taliban to prevent its territory from being used for cross-border terrorism, particularly by groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The United Nations has clarified that the Taliban’s involvement in these talks does not imply legitimization of their government.
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The ongoing restrictions on women’s rights, especially in education, continue to isolate Afghanistan from the global community.
Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, emphasized that these restrictions are detrimental to the country’s future by depriving it of vital human capital and contributing to a significant brain drain.
The UN had prior consultations with Afghan civil society representatives both inside and outside the country.
Following the main discussions, there will be a session on July 2 where civil society and women’s representatives will meet with special representatives on Afghanistan to further address their concerns.
The Taliban Foreign Ministry announced the end of two-day talks between US Representatives Tom West and Reina Amiri and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Motagi in Doha.
According to the Taliban, they discussed the lifting of sanctions, human rights and the unfreezing of Afghanistan’s… pic.twitter.com/rvHrj9r2Ot
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Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, no country has formally recognized their administration.
The international community remains critical of the Taliban’s policies, particularly those affecting women and girls, which hinder Afghanistan’s reintegration into global affairs.
