Pakistan, China, Afghanistan pledge to strengthen joint efforts against terrorism

KABUL: Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing joint efforts in counterterrorism and deepening cooperation in trade, transit, and other key sectors.

The pledge came during the Sixth Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue held today in Kabul. The meeting brought together Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, China’s Foreign Minister, and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, with a focus on political, economic, and security collaboration.

According to a statement issued by the foreign Office, “The three sides committed to strengthen joint efforts against terrorism. They also reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration in trade, transit, regional development, health, education, culture, and combating drug trafficking, as well as, extension of CPEC to Afghanistan.”

Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the trilateral dialogue, Ishaq Dar held a bilateral meeting with Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. Both ministers expressed satisfaction over the growing momentum in bilateral relations and welcomed the recent decision to elevate diplomatic representation from Chargé d’Affaires to Ambassadorial level, a development first agreed upon during the Trilateral Meeting in Beijing on May 21, 2025.

They also reviewed progress from recent high-level visits, including Dar’s trips to Kabul on April 19 and July 17, and the Beijing trilateral meeting. The ministers noted with appreciation that many of the decisions taken during these interactions have either been implemented or are nearing completion, particularly in trade and transit.

However, Ishaq Dar raised concerns regarding lagging progress in security cooperation, especially in the area of counterterrorism. He highlighted a recent surge in terrorist incidents inside Pakistan, perpetrated by groups operating from Afghan territory.

He urged the Afghan authorities to take concrete and verifiable measures against entities such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA)/Majeed Brigade.

The Afghan Acting Foreign Minister reaffirmed Afghanistan’s commitment to ensuring its territory is not used by any terrorist group against Pakistan or other nations.

The Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister extended his gratitude to the Afghan authorities for their warm hospitality and congratulated them on successfully hosting the 6th Trilateral Dialogue.