NEW DELHI: Amir Khan Muttaqi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, visited Darul Uloom Deoband, one of the oldest and most prestigious Islamic and academic institutions in the Indian subcontinent on Saturday, where he was warmly welcomed by scholars, professors and students.
Muttaqi expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and voiced hope for broader relations between India and Afghanistan across various fields.
“The visit has been very positive so far. Not only the scholars and students of Darul Uloom Deoband, but also people from the surrounding areas have come to welcome us. I thank them for their warm hospitality,” he said. “The future of India-Afghanistan relations looks very bright.”
Meanwhile, Maulana Arshad Madani, head of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, stated that India maintains academic and educational ties with Afghanistan, adding: “Our connection with Afghanistan is academic and educational. They also played a role in our freedom struggle. Just as we defeated Britain, once the world’s greatest power, they too defeated global powers like Russia and the United States in Afghanistan.”
Sayed Hamed Hosseini, a political analyst, commented: “Darul Uloom Deoband is a historic and respected center of the Hanafi school of thought, and millions around the world hold it in high regard.”
This visit comes a day after Amir Khan Muttaqi met with India’s foreign minister to discuss expanding political and economic engagement, including the potential reopening of the Indian Embassy in Kabul.