ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Hezb-e-Wahdat-e Islami party of Afghanistan, Karim Khalili, arrived in Islamabad today, Monday, on a three-day visit that will focus on ongoing peace talks between the Kabul government and Taliban insurgents.
Khalili’s visit is part of Pakistan’s ongoing policy to reach out to a broad base of political leaders in Afghanistan “to forge common understanding on the Afghan peace process and deepen people-to-people linkages,” the foreign office said in a curtain raiser on Sunday.
During the visit, the Afghan delegation will call on Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as meet Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other dignitaries.
“Ustad Karim Khalili is an important Afghan political leader and head of Herb-e-Wahdat, a leading political party in Afghanistan. Our engagement with him and his party is part of Pakistan’s policy of across-the-board engagement with all important Afghan leaders and stakeholders,” Ambassador of Pakistan to Afghanistan, Mansoor Khan, told Arab News on Monday.
Hizb-e-Islami Chief Gulbuddin Hekmatyar also visited Pakistan in October, weeks after Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, made a trip to Islamabad.
“We have been engaged with him [Khalili] for many weeks to plan his visit to Pakistan for discussions about progress in the Afghan peace process and strengthening of people-to-people engagement with Afghanistan,” the envoy said. “Ustad Khalili had also visited Pakistan in the past.”
“Pakistan remains steadfast in its support for an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political solution of the conflict in Afghanistan through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process,” the foreign office statement on Sunday said.
The Wahdat party aims to represent Afghanistan's Hazara Shia community. There have been reports that Khalili’s visit is linked to the murders earlier this month of 11 Hazara Shia coal miners in Pakistan, which were claimed by Daesh. The Afghan foreign ministry has said 7 of the 11 miners were Afghan migrant workers.
Leader of Afghanistan’s Hezb-e Wahdat party begins Pakistan visit
https://arab.news/yrsaf
Leader of Afghanistan’s Hezb-e Wahdat party begins Pakistan visit
- Khalili is on a three-day trip that will focus on peace talks between the Kabul government and Taliban insurgents
- His delegation will meet the Pakistani PM, foreign minister, national assembly speaker and other leaders
Pakistan, Algeria discuss investment cooperation in energy, mining, digital sectors
- MoU planned between Algerian investment agency and Pakistan’s SIFC
- Talks also cover digital governance and smart agriculture collaboration
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Algeria have agreed to pursue closer investment cooperation in energy, mining and digital development, Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) said on Friday, as Islamabad steps up efforts to attract foreign capital and expand international collaborations.
The SIFC is a hybrid civil-military body formed in 2023 to fast-track decisions related to international investment in sectors including tourism, livestock, agriculture and mines and minerals. It has been central to Pakistan’s efforts to attract foreign investment and streamline regulatory approvals amid recurring balance-of-payments pressures.
Federal Secretary SIFC Jamil Qureshi said in a social media post that he met Algeria’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Dr. Brahim Romani, and discussed signing a memorandum of understanding to strengthen institutional collaboration between the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency and the SIFC.
“Both countries share strong potential to expand cooperation in strategic sectors such as energy, mining, digital transformation, and industrial development,” he said.
“Algeria’s experience in leveraging natural resources through institutions like Sonatrach, developing large-scale mining projects, and promoting industrial localization through partnerships with global firms such as Stellantis offers valuable lessons for Pakistan as we advance priority initiatives including Reko Diq, renewable energy expansion, and EV manufacturing,” he continued.
Qureshi said the two sides also explored collaboration in digital governance and smart agriculture, similar to Algeria’s satellite-driven agricultural and climate monitoring initiatives.
Islamabad has in recent months intensified outreach to Middle Eastern, Central Asian and African partners as it seeks long-term investment rather than short-term financial support.
Pakistan’s economy has stabilized under an International Monetary Fund program, with the government actively seeking foreign investment and collaborations to boost growth, improve exports and ease pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
“We look forward to translating this shared vision into concrete projects that generate jobs, enhance exports, and strengthen Pakistan–Algeria economic partnership,” Qureshi added.
Qureshi did not provide a timeline for signing the proposed memorandum of understanding.
