Taliban Foreign Minister Visits Pakistan, Seeks Global Recognition

Taliban-appointed foreign affairs chief visited Pakistan on Wednesday to discuss trade and other ties, seeking global recognition.

Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is the head of the delegation to Islamabad to discuss "Pakistan-Afghanistan relations with a particular focus ... on enhanced trade, facilitation of transit trade, cross-border movement, land and aviation links, people-to-people contacts, and regional connectivity", Pakistan's foreign ministry said.

This visit comes as the Taliban seek global recognition as well as the unfreezing of assets to prevent an economic crisis. However, Pakistan has not formally recognized the Taliban administration after the militants took over Kabul in August.

Pakistan has longstanding ties with the group, though Islamabad officially denies accusations by Afghanistan's old rulers and their Western allies that it backed the Islamists during 20 years of war.

It has called on governments to allow development assistance to flow into Afghanistan and to unfreeze billions of dollars in its central bank assets to prevent economic collapse.