Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq called for improved relations between Kabul and Islamabad. He made the remarks during a regional meeting.

Speaking at a session titled “Pak-Afghan Relations under the Shadow of Terrorism,” he warned that ignoring ties with Afghanistan has consistently harmed Pakistan, and urged that Pakistan must engage constructively with the Afghan government and people as soon as possible to achieve positive results.

Mohammad Sadiq said: “Afghanistan is one of the most important relationships for Pakistan. And whenever we ignored this relationship we paid the price ... that adage a stitch in time saves nine is very sort of apt for our relationship with Afghanistan.”

At this meeting, Javlon Vakhabov, director of the Uzbekistan-based International Institute of Central Asia, also called Afghanistan a strategic opportunity for the region and expressed support for his country's foreign policy towards Afghanistan.

Vakhabov stated: “We perceive Afghanistan at this moment mostly as a strategic opportunity which I believe both Central Asia and South Asia might benefit from. Our approach towards Afghanistan nowadays is quite simple and clear -- stability through connectivity. This is a motor which foreign policy approaches are based on.”

Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister, and Ishaq Dar, Pakistan's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, discussed resolving transit challenges and expanding bilateral cooperation in a phone call.

Zia Ahmad Takal, head of Public Relations at the Foreign Ministry, said: “Both sides emphasized the need for high-level contacts and the exchange of delegations between the two countries and efforts to expand bilateral relations.”

“Pakistan’s policy towards Afghanistan is controlled by its military, not the civilian government. This is a flaw that Pakistan needs to re-evaluate,” said Moeen Gul Samkanai, a political analyst.

According to a statement released yesterday by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, the two sides also discussed expanding cooperation to ensure regional peace and security, and the foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate once again invited Ishaq Dar for an official visit to Kabul.