Afghanistan welcomed the decision to upgrade ties with Pakistan to the ambassador's level, Kabul's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's office said on Saturday.

"This elevation in diplomatic representation between Afghanistan and Pakistan paves the way for enhanced bilateral cooperation in multiple domains," the Afghan Foreign Ministry posted on X. 

Relations between the two neighbors have long been strained over Islamabad's accusations that Kabul harbors Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban.

Pakistan's attempts to deport tens of thousands of Afghans have also contributed to bilateral tensions.

Upgraded Afghanistan-Pakistan ties

On Friday, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that the charge d'affaires in Kabul would be elevated to the rank of ambassador. He also said that their relations are "on [a] positive trajectory" since he visited Afghanistan in April. 

Later, Kabul announced that it would reciprocate the move.

The decision came after Muttaqi met with Dar and their Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during a trilateral meeting in Beijing earlier this month.

After their talks, Wang expressed Beijing's willingness "to continue to assist with improving Afghanistan-Pakistan ties."

Muttaqi is due to visit Pakistan "in the coming days," ministry spokesman Zia Ahmad Takal told AFP news agency.

Since Kabul fell to the Taliban in 2021, only a handful of countries have agreed to host Taliban government ambassadors. No country has officially recognized the administration.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery