US officials to visit Pakistan to discuss Afghanistan – Pakistani Foreign Ministry

Addis Ababa, December 4, 2023 (FBC) – A number of US officials, including a senior envoy, will visit Pakistan this week to discuss Afghanistan and other issues, Pakistani Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said on Monday.

The visit will take place amid Islamabad’s accusation of the Afghan authorities of an increased number of terrorist attacks as well as the controversial ongoing deportation of Afghans from Pakistan.

“These visits are a part of the ongoing talks with the United States on a number of issues, including the situation in Afghanistan,” Baloch said.

The first to visit Pakistan will be Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Julieta Valls Noyes from Monday to Wednesday, the US Department of State announced last week.

Noyes will meet high-ranked Pakistani governmental officials and partners from non-governmental and international organizations, to discuss joint actions for protecting vulnerable individuals and accelerating secure and effective relocation and accommodation of Afghan refugees in the US immigration flow, Sputnik reported.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman said that Noyes’ visit would be followed by the arrival of US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West to pay a visit from December 7-9 and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Pakistan Elizabeth Horst from December 9-12.