Afghanistan voices displeasure over being ignored in upcoming trilateral meeting

Published
22

Kabul voiced displeasure over the planned trilateral meeting between China, Russia and Pakistan on Afghanistan in Moscow on Tuesday, Tolo News reported.

Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MoFA) spokesman Ahmad Shekib Mustaghni said on Monday that the agenda of the meeting was a matter of concern.

Despite Afghanistan being the focus of their agenda, Kabul was not consulted, he said.

“Talking on Afghanistan without consulting the country raises serious questions for the Afghan people. We are worried that what are the reasons behind the meeting and want the relevant parties to explain,” the report quoted Mustaghni as saying.

The parliament members (MPs), meanwhile, said the holding of such a meeting on Afghanistan, without consulting the incumbent government, is an obvious interference in internal issues.

“We are worried about holding such meetings and the security situation next year,” said Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi, speaker of the house.

“Our politicians only sit on seats, but others talk about Afghanistan in Moscow. It is shameful,” Saleh Mohammad Saleh, an MP said.

The report went on to say that the expansion of insurgents’ activities in Afghanistan, however, has always been a key concern for Russia and central Asian countries.

According to statistics from the National Security Council (NSC), nearly 11,000 foreign fighters are believed to be in the country.

“Russia and China think that America wants to settle cross-border terrorist groups in Afghanistan,” Abdul Shokor Salangi, international affairs analyst was quoted as saying..

A source from the ministry of defence also said that currently around 40,000 insurgents are active in the country, while Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had said in the past that more than 30 terrorist groups were active in Afghanistan.

Opinion

Editorial

Muddled hierarchy
Updated 15 Nov, 2026

Muddled hierarchy

The jurisdiction of the two courts and a mechanism for settling disputes between them should be spelt out in law, not left to judges to fight over.
Growing crisis
Updated 15 Nov, 2026

Growing crisis

Calling population growth a national emergency is easy. Ensuring that the response reaches the people who need it is the real challenge.
Organised rackets
15 Nov, 2026

Organised rackets

ON the International Day against Transnational Organised Crime, observed today, Pakistan finds itself in a tight...
Referendum talk
Updated 14 Nov, 2026

Referendum talk

Unless the PPP is deliberately using Sindh as a bargaining chip, it should issue a clarification with a clear, consistent position on new administrative units, not one tailored to protect its home turf.
Mineral wealth
Updated 14 Nov, 2026

Mineral wealth

Minerals should not be presented as a solution to Pakistan’s long-term economic difficulties. The aim should be to build an industrial base rather than export raw materials.
Late diagnosis
14 Nov, 2026

Late diagnosis

AS we mark World Diabetes Day today, Pakistan faces a troubling question: how many people are living with diabetes...