Pakistan, Afghan Taliban hold China-mediated talks to seek ceasefire
Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have restarted negotiations in China, where Beijing is acting as a mediator to help secure a lasting ceasefire following weeks of clashes, according to two Pakistani officials on Wednesday.
Another source familiar with the mediation process said the discussions are focused on ending the ongoing hostilities. Officials, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization to brief the media, said delegations from both sides are meeting in Urumqi, a city in northern China.
China has yet to make any official statement on the matter, while Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has neither confirmed nor denied the talks.
However, sources indicated that the negotiations are seen as a hopeful step toward easing tensions affecting millions of people in both Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.
Pakistan has long alleged that Afghanistan shelters militants responsible for cross-border attacks, particularly members of the Pakistani Taliban.
While the group is distinct, it maintains close ties with the Afghan Taliban, who returned to power in 2021 after the withdrawal of US-led forces. Kabul has consistently rejected these accusations.
Relations worsened last month after Afghan authorities claimed that a Pakistani airstrike struck a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul, leaving more than 400 people dead. The United Nations said the casualty figures are still being verified. Pakistan denied targeting civilians, asserting that it struck a weapons depot.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the country had targeted only militant infrastructure and not civilian facilities, emphasizing that operations were directed at Taliban-linked military and terrorist setups.
Although both sides observed a temporary ceasefire during Eid al-Fitr, hostilities resumed afterward, albeit at a lower intensity compared to the heavy fighting seen in February and March, when Pakistan conducted repeated airstrikes on militant positions and Afghan sites.
The conflict has intensified in recent years. In February, Pakistan declared it was in a state of “open war” with Afghanistan. The violence has raised concerns globally, especially as groups like al-Qaida and Islamic State remain active in the region.
Sources said the latest talks were initiated after both countries agreed to China’s mediation offer.
Tensions have persisted for months, with recent clashes also undermining a Qatar-brokered ceasefire reached in October that had previously halted fighting which killed dozens, including civilians and security personnel.
Earlier negotiations held in Istanbul in November also failed to produce a lasting peace agreement.
