ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government would conduct a probe about the use of Pakistani passports by Afghanistan’s minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and leaders.
Haqqani traveled to different countries including Qatar on a Pakistani passport to hold bilateral meetings with Americans and Qatari officials, media reports revealed.
During the weekly press briefing, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, spokesperson for the Foreign Office (FO), acknowledged awareness of the report regarding the Afghan minister’s purported use of a Pakistani passport. Baloch emphasized the necessity of confirming the details before offering any official response.
According to reports, Sirajuddin Haqqani possessed a Pakistani passport for a five-year duration, utilizing it for international travel, notably for negotiations in Qatar with the United States for the Doha Agreement, leading to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Some other Taliban also possessed Pakistani passports issued from various cities within Pakistan, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Sindh.
Simultaneously, two passport officials implicated in the issuance of Haqqani’s passport have been apprehended. Notably, one of them had retired from service before the action was taken against him.
This development surfaces amidst Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to repatriate undocumented Afghan migrants, amid heightened attention on the issue of illegal foreigners.
Baloch also highlighted the recent visits by high-ranking US officials to Pakistan, stressing that these interactions encompass a broad spectrum of Pakistan-US relations beyond Afghanistan alone. She underlined Pakistan’s decision to engage in dialogue with the United States.
The discussions between Pakistan and US officials will encompass various concerns, including the situation in Afghanistan. Baloch noted that both sides will address mutual reservations and engage in dialogue regarding contentious matters.
