Pakistan to Appoint Ambassador to Taliban-Run Afghanistan

Pakistan is set to appoint its first ambassador to Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021, signaling an effort to improve historically tense relations between the neighboring countries. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced the decision to upgrade the diplomatic mission in Kabul from a charge d’affaires to ambassador following his visit to Afghanistan in April. This move comes shortly after a trilateral meeting in Beijing with Afghan and Chinese officials and aims to enhance economic cooperation, boost bilateral trade, and strengthen joint efforts against terrorism.

Relations have been strained largely due to Pakistan’s accusations that Afghanistan harbors the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group allied with the Afghan Taliban but distinct from them. While Kabul has not yet commented on the upgrade, Pakistan had previously indicated talks about strengthening diplomatic ties.

Meanwhile, the issue of Afghan refugees in Pakistan remains critical, with Islamabad accelerating deportations of tens of thousands of Afghans back to an uncertain future. Pakistan currently hosts nearly three million Afghans, many displaced for decades by ongoing conflict.

Although Pakistan and Afghanistan maintain embassies in each other’s capitals, both are led by charges d’affaires rather than ambassadors. Pakistan is the fourth country—after China, the UAE, and Uzbekistan—to appoint an ambassador to Kabul.

No country has formally recognized the Taliban government, citing concerns over women's rights, but experts view the ambassadorial appointment as a significant step toward de facto recognition.