Taliban Rejects Visa Requests from Senior Pakistani Officials
Over the past three days, three high-ranking Pakistani government officials have separately applied for Afghan visas.
Tolo News, citing its sources, reports that the list includes Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Asim Malik, Chief of the country’s Army Intelligence, and two other senior generals.
Although these requests were officially sent to Kabul, the Taliban administration has refused to issue visas to these officials and has rejected all applications. The reasons behind the Taliban’s decision remain unclear, but the move has raised questions about the tense relationship between Kabul and Islamabad.
Pakistani officials, who have sought to meet with the Taliban administration amid recent military tensions between the two countries, have now encountered closed doors. The repeated refusal of visa requests from key figures indicates a growing mistrust between the two sides.
In previous years, direct engagement with the Taliban was a consistent part of Pakistan’s foreign policy toward Afghanistan. However, escalating tensions over armed groups operating along the borders have complicated relations between the two nations. The Taliban’s recent distancing from its former allies, especially Pakistan, has now reached a new level.
