Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Thursday called for the gradual repatriation of Afghan refugees, from not just Pakistan but the rest of the world.

Earlier this month, the federal government “advised” Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, as well as all illegal foreigners, to leave the country by March 31 as part of its repatriation drive. The Foreign Office has confirmed that the deadline is still in place.

The ACC is an identification document iss­u­ed to registered Afghan nationals by Nadra. According to the UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the ACC gives temporary legal status to Afghans during their stay in Pakistan.

According to UN data, there are over 800,000 ACC holders in Pakistan.

The minister was addressing an iftar gathering for diplomats based in Kabul on Wednesday, at which Pakistani Charge d’Affaires Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani was present. He stated that over the past four decades, millions of Afghans have migrated to different countries, including Pakistan and Iran.

“Our hope is that, just as the hospitality shown so far has been met, the appreciation shown to refugees in the future will continue to be the same, and their return will be gradual and peaceful,” he said.

“Refugees should be respected and their return should be gradual and dignified,” Muttaqi emphasised. “We have no security problems throughout the country, but there are some problems that make it difficult to prepare for the arrival of refugees all at once.

“It is hoped that this work will be implemented gradually,” Muttaqi told the diplomats.

He also sought assistance from international organisations with refugee arrivals and called for countries to be patient and ensure the good treatment of refugees. “We hope that everyone will cooperate in this regard,” he added.

Muttaqi also mentioned the reopening of the Torkham border crossing during his speech, insisting that problems between Pakistan and Afghanistan should be resolved through dialogue.

“The Torkham border crossing, which was closed for three weeks, was reopened yesterday through talks and understanding with the Pakistani side,” he said.

“Both countries should try to resolve their problems through understanding and negotiations and avoid taking any steps that harm the common people and nations,” he added.

Muttaqi meets US delegation

Muttaqi also held a rare meeting with US officials in Kabul, where they discussed detainees, his office said.

“Bilateral relations, the release of prisoners and consular services for Afghans in the United States” were discussed in the meeting between Muttaqi and US official Adam Boehler, the Afghan foreign ministry said on X.

Boehler, who has been handling hostage affairs for the White House, was accompanied by Washington’s former envoy to Kabul, Zalmay Khalilzad.

The delegation is the first from Washington since US President Donald Trump took office in January, ministry spokesman Hafiz Zia Ahmad told AFP.

Afghanistan and the US “must emerge from the effects of 20 years of war and have political and economic relations”, Muttaqi said as he appealed for “dialogue to resolve problems”.

Boehler, who has been working on returning hostages held in Gaza, reported “progress” on prisoners and welcomed the “positive step to build confidence”, the Afghan ministry said.

Later, Taliban authorities freed US citizen George Glezmann after more than two years of detention, in a deal brokered by Qatar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced.

“Today, after two and a half years of captivity in Afghanistan, Delta Airlines mechanic George Glezmann is on his way to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra,” Rubio said in a statement.

“George’s release is a positive and constructive step.It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan,” he added.

Glezmann was en route to Qatar, a source with knowledge of the release told AFP.

The Taliban government said its decision demonstrated its openness to dialogue, especially with Washington.

The release Glezmann reflects “Afghanistan’s readiness to genuinely engaging all sides, particularly the United States of America, on the basis of mutual respect and interests”, the foreign ministry posted on X.

The government in Kabul is not recognised by any country and has expressed hopes for “a new chapter” with the administration of Trump, who signed a peace deal with the Taliban during his first term in office.