ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan’s national security adviser Hamdullah Mohib would arrive in Islamabad on Tuesday to discuss a wide range of issues, said a senior Afghan official on Sunday.
Hikmat Safi, adviser to Afghanistan’s chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, told Arab News that the NSA’s daylong visit was going to take place at a crucial juncture, adding it could lead to a thaw in the frosty relations between the two countries.
Despite their cultural and historic affinities, relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have mostly remained strained in the past.
Afghanistan recalled its ambassador from Islamabad in March to protest Prime Minister Imran Khan’s reported statement wherein he maintained that Kabul should adopt an interim setup ahead of the Afghan presidential election this year.
While Pakistan insisted that Khan’s comments were “misinterpreted,” Afghan foreign ministry spokesman Sibghatullah Ahmadi described them as “irresponsible” and claimed they reflected Islamabad’s “interventional policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan.”
As the United States and Taliban discuss the future of Afghanistan in Doha, however, the administration in Kabul is trying to find a way to negotiate with the militia group. So far, it has not succeeded, though some of its officials believe that Pakistan could help them achieve that objective.
“The NSA visit to Islamabad is taking place at a time of immense importance,” Safi said. “The US-Taliban talks are moving ahead in Qatar and Pakistan has played a leading role to set things in motion.”
The Afghan media recently quoted the spokesman of Afghan National Security Council Tariq Arian as saying that Mohib’s trip to Pakistan could provide fresh impetus to the Pak-Afghan relations.
“Mohib will discuss security, peace and counterterrorism issues with senior Pakistani officials and ministers,” he added.
The interaction between the officials of the two countries this week could also lead to the Afghan president’s visit to Islamabad, Safi said.
“These visits will have a positive impact on bilateral and regional situation,” he continued.
According to Irfanullah Khan, an expert on the Pak-Afghan relations, the two estranged neighbors should promote regional integration and economic development for the benefit of their people.
“These visits should be carried out more frequently,” he told Arab News. “The issues being faced by Islamabad and Kabul need a negotiated settlement.”
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s prime minister extended an invitation to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to visit his country in a telephonic exchange. When asked about the dates, Safi said they were being decided through diplomatic channels.
Afghan national security adviser to visit Islamabad on Tuesday
Afghan national security adviser to visit Islamabad on Tuesday
- NSA’s diplomatic engagements could lead to President Ghani’s Islamabad visit, says Afghan official
- Experts say officials of the two countries should hold such meetings more frequently
Pakistan’s Mahnoor Omer named among TIME’s ‘Women of the Year’ for 2026
- Omer moved a Pakistani court against the so-called ‘period tax’ in Sept. 2025 which has since sparked a national debate
- Taxes on sanitary pads in Pakistan can add up to 40 percent to retail price, UNICEF says only around 12 percent women use such products
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani women’s rights activist Mahnoor Omer, who fought against taxes on menstrual products, has been named among the TIME magazine’s ‘Women of the Year’ for 2026.
Omer’s efforts have been recognized alongside 16 activists, artists, athletes and businesswomen in the TIME’s Women of the Year 2026 list, including Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Chloe Zhao.
Dissatisfied with the efforts to educate Pakistani girls about sexual violence, Omer founded the Noor Foundation at the age of 14 and held her own workshops with village girls about everything from climate change to menstruation, according to the TIME magazine.
Two years later, a conversation with a domestic worker about the price of pads made her realize that not everyone could afford these essentials. She moved a court against the so-called “period tax” in Sept. 2025 and the case has sparked a national debate on the subject, considered a taboo by many in Pakistan, since its first hearing late last year.
“A decade and one law degree after her interest in activism was sparked, Omer, now 25, is putting her passion and expertise to work in the name of gender equity,” TIME wrote about Omer on its website.
Taxes imposed on sanitary products in Pakistan can add up to 40 percent to the retail price. UNICEF estimates just 12 percent of women in the country use commercially produced pads or tampons. The alternative, using cloth, risks health impacts including rashes and infections, and can make it impossible for girls to attend school while menstruating.
Omer’s suit, which awaits the government response, has sparked a national discussion. She says she spoke about menstruation to her father and male cousins, who thanked her for standing up for their daughters.
The 25-year-old, who is currently enrolled in a master’s degree in gender, peace, and security at the London School of Economics, sees this case as just the first of many.
“I’m not free until every woman is free,” she was quoted as saying by TIME. “I want to leave no stones unturned in terms of what I can do with the next few decades, as a lawyer for the women in my country and gender minorities in general.”
