FO confirms ongoing negotiations between Pakistan and Afghan Taliban in China

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan is in talks with Afghanistan to end the worst conflict between the South Asian neighbors since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed at a weekly press briefing on Thursday.

The talks took place in the northwest Chinese city of Urumqi between senior officials from the two countries, the spokesperson said. He added that the goal is to end terrorism from Afghanistan.

“We demand that the Afghan Taliban take concrete steps against terrorists. The Pakistani delegation is always in China for discussions. Pakistan has never hesitated to negotiate. We are also engaged with China on Afghanistan,” the spokesperson said.

Andrabi took note of Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s recent visit to China, from which he returned on Wednesday. The spokesperson mentioned the 5-point peace plan jointly released by the two countries.

Pakistan and China on Tuesday proposed a five-point initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the wider Middle East. The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, urgent diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation, and the restoration of normal maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

The briefing also highlighted China’s support. “The Chinese side expressed its deep gratitude, emphasizing that China and Pakistan are strategic cooperative partners,” the spokesperson said.

Safety of shipping lanes was also a key topic during Dars’ visit to China. On this subject, the FO spokesperson noted that the Iranian government had allowed 20 additional Pakistani-flagged ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, calling the decision a “harbinger of peace.”

Andrabi also spoke about the meeting of four foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt in Islamabad last week to support Iran-US talks and discuss broader regional developments. “This was the second in the series; you will recall that the first was held in Riyadh on March 19,” the spokesperson noted.

The four foreign ministers arrived in Pakistan over the weekend to attend a quadrilateral meeting of foreign ministers aimed at defusing tensions between the United States and Iran. Foreign ministers also agreed on the need to contain the situation, reduce the risks of further military escalation and create conditions conducive to structured negotiations.

Read also: Pakistan announces Iran-US talks in ‘coming days’

They stressed that dialogue and diplomacy remained the only viable path, while calling for respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

After Sunday’s four-party talks, Dar announced that Islamabad could host high-stakes talks between Iran and the United States “in the coming days.” “I briefed the visiting foreign ministers on the prospects of possible negotiations between the United States and Iran in Islamabad. The visiting foreign ministers expressed their full support for this initiative,” he said.

He added, “Pakistan will be honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides towards a comprehensive and lasting settlement,” adding that Tehran and Washington had expressed confidence in Islamabad’s role as a neutral facilitator.

The three visiting foreign ministers also called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and media reports emerged about their interactions. “The four foreign ministers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reviewed the situation in the Gulf. Efforts to defuse tensions in the region were discussed, and the interactions provided an opportunity to address key regional challenges,” the statement said.

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On the telephone diplomacy front, Foreign Minister Dar hosted several calls this week: on March 27, calls with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Qatar and Indonesia, on March 29, a call with the foreign minister of Iran to discuss the evolving regional situation, emphasizing dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable path.

The spokesperson also reiterated Pakistan’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian issue: “You must have seen all eight foreign ministers, including Pakistan, condemning Israel’s actions in Jerusalem,” the spokesperson said.

A joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar said the countries “condemn, in the strongest possible terms, and reject Israel’s continued restrictions on the freedom of worship of Muslims and Christians in occupied Jerusalem,” the statement shared on X read.

He further addressed the misinformation circulating from India on Pakistani diplomacy in the Iran-US conflict. “Fake news about Pakistan’s role was published. The statement attributed to the Iranian Foreign Ministry was also distorted and a clarification was later issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Be careful with such fake news and liars,” the spokesperson warned.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM REUTERS.