Pakistan has announced it will appoint an Ambassador to Afghanistan for the first time since 2021, signaling the upgrading of diplomatic relations with Kabul after several years of lower-level engagement.
The decision was confirmed by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar following a recent ministerial-level meeting in Beijing, which was organized by China and included representatives from Pakistan, Afghanistan's Taliban-led government, and China. Currently, diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan are maintained at the charge d'affaires level, which is one step below ambassadorial status.
On this development, Foreign Minister Dar highlighted the "positive trajectory" in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, referencing his delegation-level visit to Kabul in April 2025 and ongoing dialogue. He expressed confidence that sending an Ambassador will foster enhanced engagement and mutual exchanges between the neighboring countries.
China has played a significant role in facilitating these diplomatic interactions. Last week’s meeting in Beijing involved the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar, and Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. In addition to this, China has reaffirmed Afghanistan’s participation in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an important regional infrastructure project passing through disputed territories.
Despite these diplomatic efforts, tensions persist in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, particularly after Pakistan’s December 2024 airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, which resulted in significant casualties. Islamabad alleges that militants use Afghan territory as a base for attacks in Pakistan. Kabul disputes these claims and has criticized Pakistan’s treatment of Afghan refugees.
While no country has officially recognized Afghanistan's Taliban government since its takeover in 2021, Pakistan now joins China, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan as nations with ambassador-level diplomatic missions in Kabul. Experts view this step as a substantial move toward de facto recognition, though formal recognition has yet to occur.
Pakistan has not yet announced the individual who will serve as Ambassador to Afghanistan, and the Taliban administration has not publicly responded to this diplomatic upgrade.
