Afghan Foreign Minister In India: Why Muttaqi Is Visiting UP's Darul Uloom Deoband

Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is visiting Deoband in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district as part of his six-day India trip. Muttaqi's is the first visit to India by a senior Taliban

minister since the group seized power in Kabul four years ago.As part of his itinerary, the Taliban minister is visiting the Darul Uloom Deoband, one of the most influential Islamic seminaries in South Asia. During his visit, he will meet the senior clerics, scholars and administrators of the institution.

"The journey has been very good so far. Not just the people of Darul Uloom, but all people of the area have come here. I am grateful to them for the warm welcome they extended to me. I am thankful to the Ulema of Deoband and the people of the area for this warm welcome. The future of India-Afghanistan relations seems very bright," Muttaqi said as he visited Deoband on Saturday. When asked about the decision to visit Deoband during a press conference on Friday, Muttaqi said, "Deoband is a big centre for the Islamic world. It is connected with Afghanistan. Deoband is a roohani markaz. Deoband is a big Islamic Markaz, and Afghanistan and Deoband are connected, and hence I am going to meet the leaders there." He expressed hope that soon spiritual students from Afghanistan would come to study at Deoband. On Muttaqi's visit, the President of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Maulana Arshad Madani, said, "...We have a scholarly and educational connection with Afghanistan... He has come to see his Madar-e-Ilmi... and after that, he will talk with us."Darul Uloom's office in-charge Mufti Rehan Usmani said, "Earlier, we expected him to stay for two days but due to a packed schedule, the visit has been limited to one day. He will meet Rector Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani and other senior clerics." Also Read - Taliban Minister Muttaqi's Message To Pakistan And The US From India - WATCHAccording to an article published in ORF, Darul Uloom Deoband and Afghanistan share a deep and long-standing relationship. Afghan scholars were among the earliest foreign disciples to study at Deoband, and return and establish madrassas modelled on its curriculum and teaching style back home. The Afghan Taliban continues to trace its roots from the Indian Deobandi tradition, it says, and the visit serves an opportunity to "sever its umbilical ties to Pakistani Deobandi networks and assert its own ideological authenticity." Further, a report by IANS stated that many senior Taliban commanders have studied at Darul Uloom Haqqania in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an institution modelled after the Deoband.The founder of Haqqania, Maulana Abdul Haq, had studied and taught in Deoband before the Partition. His son, Sami-ul-Haq, later earned the title 'Father of the Taliban' for his seminary's role in shaping the movement, the report stated.Superintendent of Police (Saharanpur Rural) Sagar Jain said police and intelligence units have been deployed and "comprehensive security arrangements" have been made ahead of the visit. The district administration has also coordinated with the Darul Uloom authorities to ensure a smooth programme.During the visit, Muttaqi is also expected to interact with Afghan students enrolled at the seminary and tour its historic library. His arrival has generated considerable excitement among students and local residents.