Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed not to take steps that could worsen their ongoing conflict, following a week of informal talks hosted by China in Urumqi, Xinjiang.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning confirmed on Wednesday that representatives from all three countries held meetings from April 1 to 7. 


She noted that the delegations held “frank and pragmatic discussions in a positive atmosphere” and that both Islamabad and Kabul expressed willingness to resolve their differences and return to normal bilateral relations.

The Foreign Office (FO) in Islamabad had not issued any statement on the matter and declined to comment when approached by media.

The meetings came under a trilateral mechanism at a time when ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been under severe strain. 


Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against militant hideouts inside Afghanistan in late February, after which diplomatic contact between the two sides had largely broken down.

FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, speaking at a weekly briefing on April 2, told reporters the that while Pakistan was engaged in talks to end the conflict, Afghanistan needed to “demonstrate visible and verifiable actions.” 

He added that Pakistan’s participation in the China talks was in line with its position of supporting a process that could lead to a lasting end to cross-border terrorism.

“The burden of real process, however, lies with Afghanistan, which must demonstrate visible and verifiable actions against terrorist groups using Afghan soil against Pakistan,” Andrabi stated.

Tensions between the two neighbours have been building since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021, with Islamabad repeatedly pressing Kabul to act against militant sanctuaries on its soil, particularly those linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Those appeals, Pakistani officials say, have not been acted upon.

Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was launched on the night of February 26 following what Pakistan described as unprovoked firing from across the border by Afghan Taliban forces. A five-day pause was observed from March 18 to 23 for Eidul Fitr, with the FO later indicating the operation would press on until its objectives were met.

De-escalation appeals from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye had also factored into pauses announced by both sides.

Earlier in March, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir remarked that lasting peace between the two countries was only possible if the Taliban regime renounced its support for terrorism and militant organisations.