Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is set to visit Deoband in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district on Saturday and Agra on Sunday as part of his ongoing six-day official visit to India, officials confirmed.
According to Saharanpur police, during his day-long visit to Deoband, Muttaqi will tour the historic Darul Uloom Deoband, one of South Asia’s most influential Islamic seminaries, where he is scheduled to meet senior clerics, scholars, and administrators of the institution.
He is expected to arrive around noon and return to Delhi by evening, police officials said.
Superintendent of Police (Saharanpur Rural) Sagar Jain informed that comprehensive security arrangements have been put in place, with police and intelligence units deployed throughout the area. The district administration is closely coordinating with Darul Uloom authorities to ensure the programme runs smoothly.
Darul Uloom’s office in-charge Mufti Rehan Usmani confirmed the visit, saying that the seminary is preparing to receive the Afghan minister.
“Earlier, we expected him to stay for two days, but due to a packed schedule, the visit has been shortened to one day. He will meet Rector Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani, and other senior clerics,” Usmani told PTI.
During his visit, Muttaqi is also expected to meet Afghan students enrolled at the seminary and tour its historic library, which houses thousands of rare Islamic manuscripts. His visit has created considerable excitement among students and local residents alike.
On Sunday, the Afghan Foreign 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 reach Shilpgram, near the monument’s eastern gate, by 11 a.m.
He will be taken to the Taj Mahal in an electric golf cart and is expected to spend about an hour and a half at the site before returning to Delhi in the afternoon.
Authorities in Agra said elaborate security arrangements have been made for the high-profile visit.
“No lapses will be tolerated, and security will remain tight throughout his stay,” a senior official said.
This marks the first visit to India by a senior Taliban minister since the group seized power in Kabul four years ago.
The visit assumes strategic significance as it comes at a time when India and Afghanistan share strained ties with Pakistan over multiple issues, including cross-border terrorism and regional security concerns.
