ISLAMABAD: The director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) called on the Pakistani army chief in Rawalpindi on Thursday and discussed the regional security situation with a focus on Afghanistan, the Pakistan army’s media wing said.
The visit by Willian J Burns comes two days after the Taliban announced an interim government made up mainly of ethnic Pashtun men including wanted terror suspects and hard-liners, dashing international hopes for a more moderate administration.
The Taliban’s new government has agreed to the Thursday evacuation of two hundred Americans and other foreigners who remain in Afghanistan. The departures will be among the first international flights to take off from Kabul airport since the militants seized the capital in mid-August, triggering the chaotic US-led evacuation of 124,000 foreigners and at-risk Afghans.
“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security situation and current situation in Afghanistan were discussed,” the army said. “It was reiterated that Pakistan remains committed to cooperate with its international partners for peace in the region and ensure a stable and prosperous future for Afghan people.”
The CIA director also appreciated Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan, including its help in evacuation efforts and for regional stability and peace.
The Taliban’s announcement of a new government on Tuesday was widely seen as a signal the group was not looking to broaden their base and present a more tolerant face to the world, as they had suggested they would do before their military takeover.
Foreign countries greeted the interim government with caution and dismay on Wednesday. In Kabul, dozens of women took to the streets in protest.
Many critics called on the leadership to respect basic human rights and revive the economy, which faces collapse amid steep inflation, food shortages and the prospect of foreign aid being slashed as countries seek to isolate the Taliban.
CIA director in Pakistan for talks on Afghanistan
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CIA director in Pakistan for talks on Afghanistan
- Visit by Willian J Burns comes two days after Taliban announced interim government made up mainly of ethnic Pashtun men
- CIA director appreciates Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan, including help in evacuation efforts and for regional stability and peace
Pakistan says $50 million meat export deal with Tajikistan nearing finalization
- Islamabad expects to finalize agreement soon after Dushanbe signals demand for 100,000 tons
- Pakistan is seeking to expand agricultural trade beyond rice, citrus and mango exports
ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan has expressed interest in importing 100,000 tons of Pakistani meat worth more than $50 million, with both governments expected to finalize a supply agreement soon, Pakistan’s food security ministry said on Tuesday.
Pakistan is trying to grow agriculture-based exports as it seeks regional markets for livestock and food commodities, while Tajikistan, a landlocked Central Asian state, has been expanding food imports to support domestic demand. Pakistan currently exports rice, citrus and mangoes to Dushanbe, though volumes remain small compared to national production, according to official figures.
The development came during a meeting in Islamabad between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Ambassador of Tajikistan Yusuf Sharifzoda, where agricultural trade, livestock supply and food-security cooperation were discussed.
“Tajikistan intends to purchase 100,000 tons of meat from Pakistan, an import valued at over USD 50 million,” the ambassador said, according to the ministry’s statement, assuring full facilitation and that Islamabad was prepared to meet the demand.
The statement said the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in meat and livestock, fresh fruit, vegetables, staple crops, agricultural research, pest management and standards compliance. Pakistan also proposed strengthening coordination on phytosanitary rules and establishing pest-free production zones to support long-term exports.
Pakistan and Tajikistan have long maintained political ties but bilateral food trade remains below potential: Pakistan produces 1.8 million tons of mangoes annually but exported just 0.7 metric tons to Tajikistan in 2024, while rice exports amounted to only 240 metric tons in 2022 out of national output of 9.3 million tons. Pakistan imports mainly ginned cotton from Tajikistan.
