Pakistan, China and Afghanistan on Wednesday committed themselves to bolstering joint efforts against the menace of terrorism and deepening their collaboration with each other in many key spheres.
The development arose in the Sixth Trilateral Foreign Ministers Dialogue held in Kabul between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Chinese and Afghan counterparts, Wang Yi and Amir Khan Muttaqi, on the issues of political, economic and security cooperation.
“The three sides committed to strengthen joint efforts against terrorism. They also reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration in trade, transit, regional development, health, education, culture, and combatting drug trafficking, as well as, extension of CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) to Afghanistan,” the Foreign Office (FO) said of the moot.
Before the meeting, Dar met FM Muttaqi on the margins and the two noted positive movement in political and economic ties, reaffirming their commitment to working closely on counter-terrorism and ensuring peace and stability in the region.
The FO said the two welcomed the recent elevation of diplomatic representation between the two countries from chargé d’affaires to the ambassadorial level.
It said both noted with appreciation that most decisions from recent interactions had either been implemented or were nearing completion, adding that these efforts had significantly strengthened bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of trade and transit.
FM Dar “acknowledged the encouraging progress in political and commercial ties, while expressing progress in the security domain, especially in counter-terrorism, continues to lag behind”, the FO said, adding that he highlighted a recent surge in terrorist attacks inside Pakistan perpetrated by groups operating from Afghan soil.
The FO added that he urged the Afghan authorities to take “concrete and verifiable measures” against proscribed groups such as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army/Majeed Brigade.
The FO said Muttaqi reaffirmed Afghanistan’s commitment to ensuring its territory was not used by any terrorist group against Pakistan or other nations.
FM Dar landed in Kabul earlier today for the trilateral meeting and was received by Afghan Deputy FM Dr Mohammad Naeem, other Afghan officials, and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani.
On May 21, Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed in principle to upgrade their diplomatic relations by exchanging ambassadors — a key step towards normalising ties after years of strained relations between Islamabad and the Taliban administration in Kabul.
The understanding was reached during an informal trilateral meeting of foreign ministers from Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan in Beijing. The talks were part of Beijing’s broader effort to ease regional tensions and advance connectivity through its Belt and Road Initiative.
Pakistan and China had also noted that there was an agreement on the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan.
China, which has strategic interests in regional stability and economic integration, hosted the gathering to help resume the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral dialogue, which had been paused since 2023.
The key outcomes from the Beijing meeting also included commitments to enhance cooperation in security and counter-terrorism, including joint action against militant groups and external interference and an understanding to formally resume the trilateral process by convening the sixth China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue in Kabul.
Earlier that month, the Afghan government had called for “mutual respect and constructive engagement” with Pakistan and China, according to a statement issued by its interior ministry.
The statement was issued after special envoys of Pakistan and China, Mohammad Sadiq and Yue Xiaoyong, met Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani in Kabul.