ISLAMABAD: The Afghan government has appointed Najibullah Alikhil - a career diplomat - as its new ambassador to Pakistan, a statement posted on Afghan foreign ministry website said Friday. Alikhil's appointment as ambassador to Pakistan comes at a time when key intra-Afghan talks between Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban are about to begin. Pakistan is considered key in arranging the dialogue.

"The Afghan government appointed ambassadors to posts in 13 world capitals," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"Najibullah Alikhil was nominated as the new ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to Islamabad, Pakistan."

Alikhil, who is fluent in Dari, Pashto, English and Russian, brings with him 28 years of experience working with the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and since March 2016 was Director General of Security Cooperation and Border Affairs at the ministry. He has served as Afghan envoy in Turkmenistan and Hungary and as a non-resident ambassador to Romania. Alikhil replaces Atif Mashal who resigned in July this year, citing personal reasons.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020