ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Monday denied reports about Islamabad turning down China’s call for a dialogue with Kabul, in a bid to end weeks of fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The conflict began when Afghan forces targeted Pakistan border posts on Feb. 26 in response to Islamabad’s earlier air strikes on what it said were Pakistani Taliban and Daesh camps inside Afghanistan.
China said on Monday its special envoy had spent a week mediating between Afghanistan and Pakistan and had urged an immediate ceasefire after deadly cross-border clashes flared.
However, some Pakistani media reports suggested Islamabad had politely declined China’s mediation efforts, citing Kabul’s failure to change its stance on the presence of militant groups on Afghan soil.
“Pakistan and China remain trusted partners and close friends. We maintain regular and close communication on all issues of mutual concern and shared interest,” Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told Arab News, saying any speculation or fabrication of facts in this regard was “unwarranted.”
“During the recent telephone conversation between the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister [Ishaq Dar] and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a wide range of issues were discussed, including developments related to Afghanistan,” he said.
“Similarly, during the visit of Chinese Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong, consultations were held on matters relating to regional peace and stability, including Afghanistan.”
China has poured tens of billions of dollars into Pakistan to fund massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects as part of Beijing’s transnational Belt and Road scheme. Islamabad used Chinese-made military hardware, including jets, against India during a short conflict last May.
Analysts say Beijing has also become a crucial partner of the Taliban authorities since they swept back to power in Kabul in 2021 after ousting the foreign-backed government.
Lin Jian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said Afghanistan and Pakistan are neighbors that could not be moved and any problems between the two countries could only be resolved through dialogue and consultation.
“The immediate priority is to prevent an expansion of the fighting and enable both sides to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible,” he said, in comments shared by Reuters.
