PESHAWAR: A prominent Pakistani religious cleric currently visiting Afghanistan emphasized the significance of strong bilateral ties, according to a statement released on Wednesday, saying that cordial relations between them would also benefit regional stability.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman took a private delegation to Afghanistan on Sunday to hold talks with Taliban officials in Kabul. His visit comes at a time when the ties between the two states are at their lowest ebb due to the rising number of militant attacks in Pakistan which the administration in Islamabad has blamed on militant factions hiding in the neighboring country.

Pakistan also announced to deport large numbers of “illegal immigrants,” mostly Afghan nationals, while suspecting many of them to be jeopardizing the country’s security.

The Pakistani religious leader, who was invited to Kabul by the Taliban administration, also visited his country’s embassy. He attended a dinner reception hosted in his honor on Tuesday night, where he met the head of the mission, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, to exchange views.

“A strong relationship between the two countries is the need of the hour, which will usher in an era of stability in the region,” Rehman said during his conversation.

The press counsellor at the embassy, Tahir Nawaz, told Arab News the Pakistani delegation looked optimistic about the relations between the two countries.

According to a statement released by Rehman’s Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam (JUI-F), Nizamani briefed the delegation about the diplomatic situation.

“In these circumstances, your [Rehman’s] visit to Afghanistan is of great importance,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.

According to Maulana Jamaluddin, a JUI-F leader accompanying Rehman, the delegation held positive meetings with Afghanistan’s Prime Minister Mullah Hasan Akhund and Deputy Prime Minister Maulana Abdul Kabir among others.

“The main agenda of these meetings revolved around a single point to reduce tensions and overcome the trust deficit between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” he told Arab News. “Our delegation received much importance in Kabul and we are very optimistic about its outcome in terms of restoration of bilateral ties.”

Rehman enjoys close relations with the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan since his party has also been advocating for Islamic laws and values.

The JUI-F wields considerable influence in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, both bordering Afghanistan.