Former JUI-F Leader Siraj ul Haq Visits Kabul, Meets Islamic Emirate Officials

Former leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (JUI-F), Siraj ul Haq, visited Kabul last week and held meetings with high-ranking officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

In an interview with a Pakistani journalist, Siraj ul Haq stated that the purpose of his trip was to identify appropriate ways to improve relations between Kabul and Islamabad. He said he met with the Prime Minister, as well as the Ministers of Interior and Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate.

Siraj ul Haq quoted Islamic Emirate officials as saying they have fulfilled their responsibilities and that Pakistan must also fulfill its obligations. "They said if an action takes place in Afghanistan, we are responsible; but if an action takes place in Pakistan, the government must control it," he recounted.

Speaking on behalf of the people of Pakistan during the meetings, Siraj ul Haq emphasized that tensions between Kabul and Islamabad are not in the interest of the two countries' populations and benefit India and the United States. "If Afghanistan and Pakistan stand united, they have a bright future; if ties between the two countries are damaged for any reason, we have no need for other enemies, as India and the United States are the biggest beneficiaries of this tension," he added.

Political analyst Zalmay Afghaniyar commented that Pakistan is a transactional country that receives payments for proxy wars, to the detriment of its own people. "Afghanistan has always sought to find solutions to confrontations through dialogue," he said.

Siraj ul Haq's visit came as Suhail Afridi, Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had previously expressed his intention to travel to Afghanistan with a broad delegation to engage in talks with Islamic Emirate officials.