Pakistan’s Interior Minister Naqvi Meets Afghan Counterpart in Kabul to Discuss Counterterrorism

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On July 20, 2025, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with his Afghan counterpart, Sirajuddin Haqqani, in Kabul to address pressing security concerns, including counterterrorism and cross-border infiltration. The day-long visit, aimed at strengthening ties, focused on tackling the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and enhancing border management, amid a surge in militancy threatening Pakistan’s stability.

Naqvi’s trip, accompanied by Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq and Interior Secretary Khurram Agha, marked a significant step in thawing Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. Welcomed by Afghan Interim Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Nabi Omari at Kabul airport, Naqvi emphasized the need for joint action against terrorist groups. “Terrorist organizations are fueling unrest and instability; we must stop them together,” he told Haqqani (Pakistan Today, July 21, 2025). Discussions centered on curbing TTP activities, which have intensified in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan since the group ended its ceasefire in November 2022. Pakistan has repeatedly urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used as a militant sanctuary, a claim Kabul denies.

The meeting also tackled border management, drug trafficking, and the repatriation of Afghan nationals residing illegally in Pakistan. Naqvi highlighted Pakistan’s decades-long hospitality toward millions of Afghan refugees, stressing that legal entry remains open. Haqqani called for humane treatment of Afghan migrants, noting, “Any problem can be solved in an atmosphere of trust” (Amu TV, July 20, 2025). Both sides explored strategies to regulate the 2,500-kilometer porous border, a hotspot for smuggling and militant crossings. The talks followed recent diplomatic strides, including the revival of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) and ambassadorial upgrades.

Pakistan’s push for cooperation comes as it grapples with over 1,600 militancy-related deaths in 2024, many linked to TTP attacks from Afghan territory (Daily Times, July 21, 2025). Naqvi’s visit, building on Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s recent Kabul trip for a trilateral railway agreement, signals Islamabad’s resolve to secure its borders and counter terrorism. Yet, with Afghanistan’s response often deemed inadequate, Pakistan’s patience is thinning, making these talks a critical test for regional stability.