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New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki on Saturday visited the historic Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district during his week-long visit to India.
Addressing media personnel in Saharanpur, Muttaki expressed his deep gratitude for the warmth and affection he received from Indian Muslims and religious scholars, especially during his visit to Deoband.
Hinting at the possibility of deployment of Afghan diplomats, he said, “The love that the people and the Maulanas have shown towards me during my visit to Deoband has touched my heart. I am grateful to everyone. May Allah further strengthen the relations between India and Afghanistan. After our discussion in Delhi yesterday, it seems that our bond will be even stronger. Our visits will now be more frequent and we will also send our people to Delhi.” To the Afghan Embassy in Delhi.
Muttaqi arrived in New Delhi on October 9 and has since been attending several meetings aimed at improving bilateral relations.
His visit to Darul Uloom holds symbolic significance, given the institution’s historical influence throughout South Asia and its spiritual connection with Afghan religious scholars.
Similarly, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani, while speaking to the media, highlighted the shared heritage between the two countries.
He said, “I told him (Foreign Minister Muttaki) that our relationship with you is not just academic but is rooted in India’s freedom movement. Therefore, our relationship goes beyond religious scholarship and is linked to India’s independence.”
Madani further remarked that earlier, India was concerned about terrorist infiltration from Afghan soil. “However,” he said, “following this meeting and the assurance given by Minister Muttaqi, it is now clear that Afghanistan will never support anti-India terrorist activity, nor allow any such element to operate from its soil.”
The visit is being seen as a rare diplomatic overture and a possible reset in India-Afghanistan relations after the change of power in Kabul.
–IANS
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