Kabul: Top Taliban government representatives met with Pakistan's defence minister and spy chief on Wednesday in Kabul, days after that country's main border crossing was shut down and amid growing security concerns for Islamabad.

After closing the Torkham crossing the previous day due to Pakistan's alleged refusal to facilitate trade transport and Afghan patients travelling to the neighbouring country for treatment, reports of authorities exchanging gunfire emerged on Monday.

Long-running border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan have recently resulted in numerous civilian deaths, with Kabul and Islamabad blaming one another for the bloodshed.

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According to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, Afghanistan's deputy prime minister for economic affairs and defence minister, respectively, met with the high-ranking Pakistani delegation on Wednesday in the Afghan capital.

According to Mujahid, "the two sides discussed issues on the ground, particularly the crossing points with Pakistan." Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammed Asif and Inter-Services Intelligence chief Nadeem Anjum served as the delegation's leaders. The difficulties will be resolved, "God willing," he said.

"The Pakistani delegation was given the assurance that nobody would pose a threat to Pakistan, and the Pakistani side should also focus on Afghan security until the political and economic ties between the two countries can be improved."

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Abdul Ghani Baradar stated that Pakistan and Afghanistan "are neighbours and should get along well" in a statement released by his office.
The statement stated that "political and security concerns should not affect business or economic matters."

During the meeting on Wednesday, a Taliban official also demanded the release of Afghans detained in Pakistan and the facilitation of travellers and patients passing through Torkham and Spin Boldak. Pakistan's government promised to address these concerns.

According to a statement from Pakistan's foreign ministry, the discussions included "security-related issues, including counterterrorism measures."
Since the Pakistani Taliban, also known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, broke a months-long cease-fire with the government in November of last year, the country has seen an increase in militant attacks. After Kabul fell in 2021, the TTP, a different militant organisation, openly swore allegiance to the Afghan Taliban.

During their visit to Kabul, the Pakistani delegation prioritised security concerns.
For obvious security reasons, the Pakistani delegation is in Kabul, according to Kaswar Klasra, editor-in-chief of the Islamabad Telegraph, who spoke to Arab News.

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He declared that the TTP was now a serious threat to Pakistan's existence. The main objective of the Pakistani delegation is to stop the TTP from attacking targets in Pakistan by asking the Taliban's government for assistance.

Pakistan has permitted critically ill or injured Afghans to enter the nation since the Taliban took control, but, like many other nations, it still does not recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan.