(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) Senior Congress leader and MP Imran Masood has backed the Indian government's outreach to the Taliban-led regime in Afghanistan, welcoming the recent visit of Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to New Delhi.

Masood lauded the government's decision to offer a "red carpet welcome" to Muttaqi, highlighting the strategic need for improved ties with Afghanistan.

"Pakistan cannot tolerate that India shares strong relations with Afghanistan. From a strategic perspective, it is essential for India to strengthen ties with Kabul. I welcome the government's decision to receive the Afghan foreign minister with dignity and respect," Masood said.

In a sharp jibe at the ruling BJP, the Congress MP reminded that some BJP leaders had previously labelled the Taliban as“Talibani mindset” in Parliament. Masood remarked that such political posturing should not influence India's foreign policy.

“These are the same Taliban that your party's leaders once condemned in Parliament, calling them 'Talibani thinking'. If wisdom has finally prevailed, then thank you. It should now be clear that our foreign policy and diplomacy must not be shaped by your domestic politics,” Masood said, adding that national interest should always take precedence.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Muttaqi is currently on a week-long visit to India, during which he is expected to push for enhanced trade and economic cooperation between India and Afghanistan.

According to officials, over two dozen Afghan traders are likely to arrive in Delhi on Monday to meet with Muttaqi, signalling Kabul's growing interest in boosting commercial ties with India. Key sectors identified for trade collaboration include dry fruits, pharmaceuticals, public infrastructure, and more.

During a restricted media interaction at the Afghan Embassy in Delhi on Friday, Muttaqi also advocated for the use of the Chabahar port for India-Afghanistan trade and called for the opening of the Attari-Wagah border for Indian exports, a move currently blocked by Pakistan.

In his high-level meetings, including with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Muttaqi also invited Indian companies to invest in Afghanistan's mining sector, which holds significant untapped reserves of copper, lithium, iron, gold, and other strategic minerals.

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