Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi to Visit Deoband, Taj Mahal During Six-Day India Tour
Saharanpur/Agra: Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi will visit Deoband in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district on Saturday and Agra on Sunday as part of his ongoing six-day visit to India, officials confirmed.
According to Saharanpur police, Muttaqi’s day-long visit to Deoband will include a tour of Darul Uloom Deoband, one of South Asia’s most prominent Islamic seminaries. He will meet senior clerics, scholars, and administrators of the institution. The minister is expected to arrive around noon and return to Delhi by evening.
Superintendent of Police (Saharanpur Rural) Sagar Jain said that police and intelligence teams have been deployed, and “comprehensive security arrangements” have been put in place ahead of the high-profile visit. The district administration is working in coordination with Darul Uloom officials to ensure a smooth programme.
Darul Uloom’s office in-charge, Mufti Rehan Usmani, confirmed the visit, saying preparations are underway for the Afghan minister’s reception.
“Initially, we expected him to stay for two days, but due to his tight schedule, the visit has been reduced to one day. He will meet Rector Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani, and other senior clerics,” Usmani said.
During his visit, Muttaqi is also likely to interact with Afghan students studying at the seminary and visit its historic library. His arrival has sparked considerable excitement among students and residents of the area.
On Sunday, the Afghan minister will travel to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal. Officials said he will leave Delhi around 8 a.m. via the Yamuna Expressway and is expected to reach Shilpgram, near the monument’s eastern gate, by 11 a.m. He will tour the Taj Mahal in an electric golf cart and spend around 90 minutes at the site before returning to Delhi in the afternoon.
Agra district authorities have made extensive security arrangements for the visit.
“No lapses will be tolerated, and security will remain tight throughout his stay,” a senior official said.
Muttaqi’s visit marks the first by a senior Taliban minister to India since the group took control of Kabul four years ago. The visit holds significance as it comes amid strained relations between both India and Afghanistan with Pakistan over issues such as cross-border terrorism.
