ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will participate in regional talks on Afghanistan in Moscow today, Monday, with escalating tensions between Islamabad and Kabul expected to figure in discussions days after Russia expressed concern over their latest military confrontation.

The meeting comes amid a sharp deterioration in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations over Islamabad’s accusations that Kabul is sheltering militants behind a surge in attacks in Pakistan and recent Pakistani strikes inside Afghanistan. Kabul denies harboring militants and has accused Islamabad of violating Afghan sovereignty.

“The 8th Meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan is scheduled to be held on 5 October 2026 in Moscow, Russia,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement on Sunday.

“Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kabul will represent Pakistan at the consultations.”

The Moscow Format is a Russia-led regional mechanism launched in 2016 to discuss Afghanistan, bringing together the country and key regional states to address political, security and economic issues. Previous meetings have focused heavily on regional security, militancy, economic engagement and Afghanistan’s relations with neighboring states.

Monday’s meeting will include representatives from Afghanistan, Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and Central Asian states.

The talks take place against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Moscow saying the dispute between the two neighbors is expected to be discussed at the meeting.

“Of course, this issue will be discussed, and we are ready to use the Moscow platform to encourage the two sides to reach a reasonable compromise,” Russia’s Special Presidential Representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said this week.

Pakistan has carried out strikes inside Afghanistan in recent weeks, saying it targeted militant hideouts after accusing armed groups operating from Afghan territory of carrying out attacks inside Pakistan.

Afghan authorities have condemned the strikes and reported civilian casualties, while rejecting Islamabad’s accusations that Kabul allows militants to use its territory to attack Pakistan.

Russia has also expressed concern over the escalation. Its embassy in Kabul said on Saturday it was “seriously concerned” about the military confrontation between Pakistan and Afghanistan and its impact on civilians, including children.

Pakistan’s foreign office said last week Islamabad remained interested in friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan but that such ties required an end to militant activity emanating from Afghan territory.

“So, as a policy, Pakistan is ready for friendly relations,” the foreign office spokesperson said at a weekly briefing on Thursday. “But as a requirement, there has to be a complete stop to the infiltration and activities of these terrorist organizations that are being supported and facilitated by the government there.”