Officials have said the burden of ending the nation’s cross-border conflict lay with Afghanistan, as the two sides held preliminary talks to try to end hostilities.
The neighbours and one-time allies have been locked in an escalating conflict over claims from Islamabad that Afghanistan is harbouring militants responsible for cross-border attacks, which the Taliban government denies.
Negotiations in Urumqi, China, were announced by Pakistan, after Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelled to Beijing for talks with his counterpart Wang Yi.
Foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi told reporters that the government hoped for a “durable solution”.
“Our participation (in talks) is a reiteration of our core concerns,” he said.
“The burden of real process, however, lies with Afghanistan, which must demonstrate visible and verifiable actions against terrorist groups using (its) soil against Pakistan.”
Following China’s request for talks, the Taliban government said it had sent a “mid-level delegation” to Urumqi.
The Afghan side “intends to hold comprehensive and responsible talks with the other side on good neighbourliness, strengthening trade relations and effective management of security issues”, foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said.
Pakistan described the negotiations as “working level talks”.
“Our delegation has not returned yet,” Islamabad’s foreign ministry spokesman said.
Beijing deployed a special envoy to try to broker a deal last month, but the diplomatic effort was followed by Pakistani strikes on a Kabul rehab centre that prompted international condemnation.
More than 400 people were killed in the attack, according to Afghan officials.
The two sides then announced a pause in fighting to mark the end of Ramadan, at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye.
But sporadic attacks have been reported in border areas since the temporary truce ended.
Taliban deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said in a post on X that Pakistan had carried out “continuous mortar, rocket and drone attacks” since Wednesday in Kunar, Paktika and Khost provinces.
Those attacks left two children dead and 25 people – most of them children – wounded, he said. — AFP
