Pakistan, Afghanistan hold talks at China's Urumqi: sources

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan are holding talks in China’s northwestern city of Urumqi, diplomatic sources here said on Wednesday.

“Pakistan has nominated the foreign ministry’s additional secretary for the dialogue with Afghanistan officials,” sources said.

Pakistan is prepared for talks with Afghanistan but will not change its policy to target the terror hideouts in the country, officials said.

AFP citing two officials from Islamabad reported dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan in China to end months of conflict.

The meeting in Urumqi comes after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister and DPM, Ishaq Dar, travelled to Beijing on Tuesday to meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

The pair discussed Islamabad’s role in trying to get the United States and Iran to the negotiating table, and set out a joint five-point plan for an end to the conflict.

Dar had been due to return to Islamabad on Wednesday.

China has sought to mediate in the escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Pakistan says it is targeting extremists who have carried out cross-border attacks, but authorities in Kabul deny harbouring militants.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan’s foreign ministry and the Afghan government. But a senior Pakistani security official said: “A delegation led by an official from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in Urumqi to hold talks with the Afghan Taliban

“The meeting is taking place at the request of our Chinese friends.”

A second senior government official also confirmed the talks, adding: “The meeting is to set a base for full-scale dialogue.”

The first official said Pakistan’s demands from Afghanistan “remain unchanged”, urging Kabul to “take verifiable action” against extremists and “end any support for the group”.

It also wants to “ensure that Afghan territory is not used as a base for launching attacks against Pakistan”.