Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is on a six-day visit to India, visited Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur on Saturday, news agency ANI reported.
Muttaqi addressed the reporters following his visit and expressed “hopes for stronger ties in the future” between the two countries. He also expressed his gratitude for the grand reception at Darul Uloom, which is one of the most influential Islamic seminaries in South Asia.
Muttaqi arrived at Deoband around noon, where he was set to meet senior clerics, scholars and administrators of the institution. He will also address a public function, according to ANI, which quoted media in charge of Darul Uloom Deoband, Ashraf Usmani.
“I am thankful for such a grand welcome and the affection shown by the people here. I hope that India-Afghanistan ties advance further. We will be sending new diplomats, and I hope you people will visit Kabul as well. I have hopes for stronger ties in the future – from the way I was received in Delhi, these visits may be frequent in the near future,” Muttaqi told PTI.
Reacting to his visit, President of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Maulana Arshad Madani, said: “…We have a scholarly and educational connection with Afghanistan… He has come to see his Madar-e-Ilmi (mother of knowledge)… and after that, he will talk with us,” news agency ANI reported.
On Friday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s meeting with Muttaqi marked a seismic shift, as Delhi engaged with the Taliban, burying past hostilities and the ghost of the IC-814 hijack.
As the first step towards normalising diplomatic ties with the Taliban since the group seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, India underlined it would upgrade its “technical mission” in Kabul to the status of an embassy. Muttaqi, on his part, has said Kabul will send diplomats to India as part of step-by-step efforts to improve bilateral relations.
