Pakistan has announced it will appoint an ambassador to Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021, becoming the fourth country—after China, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan—to do so.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar made the announcement on Friday, saying that diplomatic ties have improved since his visit to Kabul in April. He said the decision to upgrade the current chargé d’affaires to ambassador level is aimed at furthering progress in bilateral relations.

The move follows a trilateral meeting in Beijing last week, where Dar met with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Dar expressed hope that the step would boost trade, economic cooperation, and joint efforts in regional security.

Hours after Pakistan’s announcement, Kabul welcomed the decision and said it would reciprocate by appointing an ambassador to Islamabad. A spokesperson for the Afghan Foreign Ministry said the development would help expand cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

Both Pakistan and Afghanistan currently maintain embassies in each other’s capitals, but until now, they were led by lower-level diplomats.

In recent months, both sides have taken steps to resume dialogue after a period of strained ties. Another key issue between the two countries is the presence of Afghan refugees in Pakistan. According to the UN’s International Organization for Migration, tens of thousands have returned to Afghanistan in recent months as part of a phased plan announced by Pakistan last year.

While no country has formally recognized the Taliban-led government, diplomatic engagement—including the appointment of ambassadors—continues to grow in the region.

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