ISLAMABAD: Pakistan vowed to pursue the masterminds behind a suicide attack that claimed the lives of five Chinese engineers earlier this year while reaffirming its commitment to the regional connectivity initiative launched by President Xi Jinping’s administration during Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s three-day visit to Beijing.
According to a statement issued by the foreign office of Pakistan on Thursday, Dar, who is also the foreign minister, began his trip to China on May 13 where he co-chaired the Fifth Round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue with his counterpart Wang Yi before concluding his visit.
During his stay in Beijing, the two sides discussed multiple global and regional challenges, including the second phase of the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The foreign office said both countries condemned the March 26 suicide attack on the Chinese workers who were on their way to the Dasu Hydropower Project in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
“In keeping with its ironclad friendship with China, the Pakistani side would hunt down the perpetrators and bring them to justice, take more effective security measures, and make all-out efforts to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan,” the statement said while providing details of the discussions between both countries.
Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Ahmed Sharif, said last week the attack was planned in “terrorist sanctuaries” in neighboring Afghanistan while addressing a news conference.
His assertion came amid accusations from officials in Islamabad that the administration in Kabul was not doing enough to prevent groups like banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from launching cross-border attacks.
“The two sides reiterated their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations with a ‘zero tolerance’ attitude, and agreed to further strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism and security through a comprehensive approach,” the foreign office continued.
Pakistan also agreed to work with China to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and forge an upgraded CPEC version by jointly building growth, livelihood, innovation and green corridors and aligning them with Pakistan’s development framework and priorities.
“The two sides agreed to accelerate progress on major connectivity projects including upgradation of ML-1 [railway infrastructure], the Gwadar Port, realignment of Karakoram Highway Phase II, strengthen cooperation in agriculture, industrial parks, mining, information technology and other fields according to local conditions, and enhance Pakistan’s capacity for sustainable development,” the foreign office informed.
“The two sides believe that the Khunjerab pass plays an important role in promoting bilateral trade and people-to-people exchanges, and agreed to speed up efforts to make sure that the Khunjerab Pass can function all year round,” it continued.
The two sides also agreed to strengthen communication and coordination over issues related to Afghanistan, calling for concerted efforts of the international community to help deal with the humanitarian situation in that country.
They agreed to play a positive and constructive role in helping Afghanistan achieve stable development and integrate into the international community.
Additionally, Pakistan and China expressed satisfaction at their expanding space cooperation and agreed to further build on it for a peaceful and mutually-beneficial exploration of space.
Earlier this month, Pakistan sent an imaging device in outer space as part of China’s Chang’e-6 lunar mission.
As Pakistan deputy PM visits Beijing, Islamabad vows to track masterminds of attack on Chinese workers
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As Pakistan deputy PM visits Beijing, Islamabad vows to track masterminds of attack on Chinese workers
- Ishaq Dar reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to the regional connectivity initiative launched by China’s Xi Jinping
- The two countries express satisfaction at their expanding space cooperation and agree to build on it further
Pakistan urges Afghan rulers to ‘rid their soil of terrorists’ at regional meeting in Tehran
- Iran hosts meeting of special representatives on Afghanistan from Pakistan, China, Russia, Central Asian countries
- Pakistan alleges militants use Afghan soil to launch attacks against it, charges the Afghan Taliban deny repeatedly
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s special envoy on Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq urged rulers in Kabul on Sunday to rid their soil of “terrorists,” saying the move would inspire confidence in its neighbors to engage with the country.
Sadiq, who is Pakistan’s special representative to Afghanistan, was part of a high-level meeting hosted by Iran in Tehran to discuss issues related to Afghanistan. The meeting featured Afghan affairs representatives from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China and Russia, Iranian state news agency IRNA said.
Pakistan blames a surge in attacks on its soil on militants it says are based in Afghanistan, a charge Kabul denies. The allegations have caused tensions between the neighbors to rise, resulting in deadly border clashes in October that saw dozens of soldiers killed on both sides.
“It is imperative that the current de facto rulers [in Afghanistan] take steps to ameliorate their suffering,” Sadiq wrote on social media platform X.
“And the foremost step in this regard would be to rid their soil indiscriminately of all types of terrorists.”
Sadiq said he agreed with other participating countries during the meeting that the “threat of terrorism” originating from Afghanistan’s soil is a “big challenge” for the region.
“Also made this point that only an Afghanistan that does not harbor terrorists will inspire confidence in the neighboring and regional countries to meaningfully engage with Afghanistan, helping to realize the country’s immense economic and connectivity potential,” he concluded.
Officials from Pakistan and Afghanistan engaged in three rounds of peace talks in Türkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia since the October clashes but were unable to reach an agreement.
While Pakistan has vowed it would go after militants in Afghanistan that threaten it, Kabul has said it would retaliate to any act of aggression from Islamabad.
