Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Saturday expressed optimism about the future of India–Afghanistan relations, saying he was deeply moved by the warm welcome he received during his visit to Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district, one of South Asia’s most influential Islamic seminaries.
“We will be sending new diplomats, and I hope you people will visit Kabul as well,” Muttaqi said while addressing scholars and students. “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, who travelled by road from Delhi to Deoband with his delegation, was greeted with flowers and a warm reception by the seminary’s vice-chancellor, Maulana Abul Qasim Nomani, and Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind president, Maulana Arshad Madani.
Hundreds of students and local residents gathered to welcome the Taliban foreign minister.
