Pakistan and Afghanistan have reportedly initiated high-level negotiations mediated by China to achieve a sustainable ceasefire.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing foreign media outlets, that the discussions aim to resolve escalating tensions between the two neighboring nations.
Officials speaking on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press (AP) that Pakistan and Afghanistan are seeking to end more than a month of border clashes. Representatives from both countries have convened in Urumqi, the administrative center of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, to discuss a potential peace roadmap. While Chinese officials have not yet issued an official statement regarding the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad has also refrained from commenting on the specific details of the AP report.
According to sources cited by CNN, Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar discussed the possibility of Beijing acting as a guarantor during his recent visit to China. Furthermore, reports suggest that Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari held meetings at the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad to review the regional security situation. A spokesperson for the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to answer specific questions regarding the talks, describing the nature of the diplomatic engagements as "highly sensitive."
Kabul-based Tolo News reported that a five-member Afghan delegation has departed for China to participate in the negotiations. The delegation reportedly includes representatives from Afghanistan's ministries of foreign affairs, interior, and defense, as well as the General Directorate of Intelligence. This diplomatic initiative comes at a critical time for regional stability, as China continues to expand its role as a mediator in South Asian security affairs, seeking to protect its economic interests and the stability of the Belt and Road Initiative corridors passing through the region.
