Afghanistan Inching Closer to Sealing Kabul Airport Deal with Qatar, Turkey for Resuming All Flight Services

Afghanistan deputy Prime Minister and Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar has instructed the foreign affairs ministry to give Qatar’s government a deadline to complete the deal on operating Kabul airport and several other international airports in the country, according to sources.

Baradar wants Qatar to take a decision soon on regulating the Kabul Airport contract so that all flight services resume soon and direct routes could be established as soon as possible.

At present, due to poor airport services, flights have to go via Dubai to the West.

Baradar had earlier urged traders and investors to invest in Afghanistan in order to pave way for development in the country. He had also pledged that the Islamic Emirate would provide them with more facilities and security.

The deputy PM has also asked Ministries of foreign affairs, interior, trade and industry, and the Directorate General of Intelligence to rope in more foreign investors.

The investors should start with emergency visa services and other facilities at the Kabul Airport upon arrival in Afghanistan.

Last month, Khairullah Khairkhwa, Islamic Emirate’s acting minister of information and culture, had said that an agreement between Turkey and Qatar is nearing to a close, Afghanistan’s TOLOnews reporterd citing Turkey’s Daily Sabah.

“Turkey and Qatar and the Afghan government have been nearing an agreement, so hopefully, in the near future, it will be finalised,” Khairkhwa said.

Both sides discussed the pending deal on operating the Kabul airport and several other international airports in Afghanistan, TOLOnews had reported.

Qatar’s role at the Kabul airport has ensured that flights have operated between Doha and Kabul since September, 2021, allowing Qatar to become a hub for countries to maintain links to Afghanistan and to meet the Taliban government. The US, UK, Canada and several other countries have moved their Afghanistan embassies to Qatar, Reuters had reported.

Turkey had offered technical and security help to Afghanistan to help operationalise the Kabul airport after the Taliban’s takeover of the country, the Daily Sabah had reported.

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