Taliban delegation meets Pak officials in Doha, discusses border issues

A senior Taliban delegation met with the Pakistani Embassy officials in Qatar on Friday where the two discussed issues concerning the current developments in Afghanistan

A senior Taliban delegation led by Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanekzai met with the Pakistani Embassy officials in Qatar on Friday where the two delegations discussed issues concerning the current developments in Afghanistan.

Taking to Twitter, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said the two sides held talks over humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and issues related to facilitating people's movement at Torkhan and Spinboldak.

"Sher M. Abbas Stanikzai, Deputy Director of the Political Office and his delegation met Pakistan Ambassador to Qatar and his delegation. Both sides discussed the current Afghan situation, humanitarian assistance, bilateral relations based on mutual interest and respect, reconstruction of Afghanistan and issues related to facilitating people's movement at Torkhan and Spinboldak," Shaheen tweeted.

This meet comes following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and subsequent refugees crises caused due to the weeks-long intense violence. Earlier this week, Pakistan closed its Chaman border with Afghanistan citing security concerns.

"We want peace and stability in Afghanistan. We have put up a fence on the border," the Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said, as quoted by The Express Tribune.

Rashid added that "due to some concerns" the border at Chaman was being closed temporarily. "However, we will not allow chaos to spread. There are no Americans left in Pakistan. Those who came have left", he said.

Pedestrian traffic through Pakistan's south-western Chaman border crossing has swiftly increased after the Taliban's hostile takeover of Afghanistan over the last few weeks.

The situation on the Afghan-Pakistani border has remained tense due to the influx of refugees from Afghanistan. Multiple reports said that the Pakistani forces had opened fire at the Afghan refugees at the Torkham border crossing.