ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan has conveyed three basic demands to the Afghan Taliban during the ongoing talks in Urumqi, as China, which negotiated the last round, is trying to convince the two sides to agree on a five-point framework to resolve the issues.
The three demands put forward by Islamabad initially include Kabul: officially declaring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) a terrorist organization, dismantling its infrastructure and providing verifiable evidence of its action.
These demands form the basis of Pakistan’s negotiating position, which sources say has hardened due to ongoing security concerns.
The Foreign Ministry has so far only issued an initial statement confirming that talks are taking place in Urumqi, without giving further details on the agenda or progress.
At the latest weekly press briefing, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan’s participation in the ongoing talks in Urumqi should not be interpreted as a change in policy, especially with regard to ongoing security operations.
“There is no material change from the ongoing Ghazab Lil Haq operation that I mentioned last week,” the spokesperson added.
On Sunday, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi acknowledged that dialogue was still ongoing and that the Taliban regime wanted to resolve issues with Pakistan through talks.
Sources said China had played a discreet but active role through sustained shuttle diplomacy, with its special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, engaging Islamabad and Kabul in recent months to narrow differences and bring them to the negotiating table.
Pakistan has also made it clear that the scope of the negotiations will remain limited to counter-terrorism and border security, ruling out any broader political engagement at this stage. The sources say the focus is on addressing Islamabad’s concerns over terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory and ensuring mechanisms to prevent cross-border attacks.
A framework is believed to be under discussion, which could pave the way for a possible agreement between the two sides. The proposed roadmap includes a ceasefire agreement, anti-terrorism assurances from the Afghan Taliban, dismantling of terrorist sanctuaries inside Afghanistan and measures to facilitate security of trade routes.
It also envisages the establishment of a more structured and institutionalized dialogue mechanism between Islamabad and Kabul.
Both sides sent technical delegations to Urumqi, reflecting the operational nature of the discussions.
The Pakistani team is led by Syed Ali Asad Gilani, additional secretary in the foreign ministry for Afghanistan and West Asia, and includes officials from defense and intelligence agencies.
The Afghan Taliban delegation is led by Mohibullah Waseq, chief of staff of Amir Khan Muttaqi, and includes representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defense and the Intelligence Directorate.
Although preliminary engagements have begun, the sources said Chinese officials were holding separate meetings with each side to bridge differences before moving into direct, structured negotiations.
The choice of Urumqi as a location is seen as significant, given its location in China’s Xinjiang region, where Beijing has long worried about militancy linked to groups such as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), whose fighters are believed to be present in Afghanistan.
Diplomatic observers say the talks represent a cautious but important effort to stabilize relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, although major differences remain and any progress would depend on Kabul’s willingness to meet Islamabad’s key security demands.
