ISLAMABAD:
A trilateral meeting involving officials from China, Pakistan and Afghanistan was held in Urumqi on Wednesday amid ongoing hostilities between Islamabad and Kabul, with sources calling the engagement an exploratory effort rather than a formal mediation initiative.
There has been no official word from Islamabad regarding the meeting. However, sources close to the matter said the interaction was not “mediation” but an emanation of the existing trilateral mechanism between the three countries.
They clarified that the meeting did not necessarily signify a change in Pakistan’s policy towards Afghanistan, saying operations against terrorist groups would continue until their objectives were achieved.
According to the sources, this latest engagement is part of China’s efforts to defuse tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban-led Afghan government, amid a recent surge in cross-border hostilities.
Some sources claimed that the Taliban delegation agreed to provide written assurances that Afghan territory would not be used against Pakistan.
However, officials stressed that mere written guarantees would not be enough, with Islamabad pushing for a verifiable mechanism to ensure action against militant groups operating across the border.
Officials downplayed expectations of a major breakthrough, noting that the composition of delegations suggested the talks were exploratory in nature.
Both sides were represented by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defense and Security.
In contrast, previous rounds of dialogue held in Doha and Istanbul were conducted at a higher level, involving not only defense ministers but also intelligence chiefs from both sides.
The dialogue process had already taken place in Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, but had not produced tangible results.
Experts remain skeptical of any immediate progress since the last cycle.
Pakistan says the banned group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its allied groups continue to orchestrate cross-border attacks from Afghan soil with the support of Taliban authorities.
However, recent UN reports, as well as assessments from Russia and China, have given credence to Islamabad’s position, highlighting the presence of militant groups such as the TTP and BLA operating from Afghanistan.
Tensions escalated in late February when Pakistan carried out airstrikes targeting what it described as TTP hideouts in Afghanistan, saying diplomatic efforts had not yielded results. Taliban forces responded with retaliatory strikes on Pakistani border posts, raising fears of a wider conflict.
Although the two sides later agreed to a temporary ceasefire over Eid, sporadic clashes continued along the border, highlighting the fragility of the situation.
“The delegations from the two parties are not the same ones that have already participated in the negotiations in Doha, Istanbul and Riyadh, but yes, seasoned personalities, including from the Afghan side, while Pakistan has appointed one with experience, which shows the seriousness of the de-escalation efforts on the part of the Chinese mediators,” confirmed a seasoned military source to The Express PK Press Club.
The two sides will first engage at the technical level, and official meetings will take place on Thursday and Friday, the sources added.
“Both parties have been asked not to release information regarding the meeting to the media, but yes, we can confirm that the meeting will take place in Urumqi, China,” the source confirmed.
General R. Inaam Yousafzai told the Express PK Press Club: “China is a brotherly country, and we welcome such a positive response from Beijing, but the ball is in the court of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan; if they really act wisely, we as Muslim countries have no need of mediators. »
“Personally, I doubted the assessment that the Chinese would take serious steps or succeed on the Afghan chapter, because the Afghans believe in negative relevance and mindset,” General Inaam added.
