Islamabad, 24 May 2023 (GNP): Asif Ali Khan Durrani, a highly experienced career diplomat with an extensive tenure of 32 years, has been designated as a special envoy for Afghanistan, amidst the current strain in relations between the two neighboring countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed Asif Durrani as successor to Mohammad Sadiq, who resigned after serving as the incumbent for over three years.
Sadiq’s decision to step down came as a result of unsuccessful peace negotiations with the proscribed group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that were held in Kabul. The peace negotiations were initiated during PTI’s government.
Durrani will be directly responsible to Prime Minister’s Office in his new position.
He previously served as Pakistan’s deputy chief of mission in Kabul from 2005 to 2009.
Durrani is fluent in Pashto and Dari, two languages spoken often in Afghanistan, and is well-versed in the cultural dynamics of the region.
Having held ambassadorial positions in Iran and the United Arab Emirates, Durrani has also served in several diplomatic postings, including New Delhi, New York, Kabul, and London.
He also worked for Pakistan Mission to the United Nations in New York in the early years of his diplomatic career.
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His first formal meeting was on Tuesday with Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, demonstrating the significance given to this diplomatic mission.
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This appointment of Asif Durrani as the Special Envoy for Afghanistan carries significant weight given the continuing discussions over the expansion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan’s neighbor.
Through Pakistan and Afghanistan, it is intended to create crucial linkages between the landlocked Central Asian region and the rest of the world.
The foreign ministers of China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan recently held a trilateral dialogue in which they highlighted the need to consider practical options for reviving the Afghan economy and stimulating domestic economic activity.
It was repeated that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will advance trilateral cooperation and that Afghanistan would be added to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
In addition to addressing current issues, Durrani’s appointment comes as Pakistan confronts terrorism.
The country has witnessed an alarming rise in attacks on law enforcement agencies and innocent citizens, including the recent destruction of girls’ schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
