Pakistan welcomes China’s engagement with Taliban

Published July 30, 2021
“We believe that China being a neighbouring country to Afghanistan does have an important role to play in the Afghan peace process,” FO spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said. — APP/File
“We believe that China being a neighbouring country to Afghanistan does have an important role to play in the Afghan peace process,” FO spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said. — APP/File

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday welcomed China’s engagement with the Taliban, underscoring the importance of Beijing’s role in the Afghan peace process.

“We believe that China being a neighbouring country to Afghanistan does have an important role to play in the Afghan peace process,” FO spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said at his weekly media briefing.

A nine-member Taliban delegation led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the chief of the Afghan insurgent’s Doha-based political office, met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other officials in Tianjin (China) on Wednesday.

The talks focused on peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan and Taliban’s relations with other terrorist groups including East Turkestan Islamic Movement.

FO spokesman calls for reduction in violence

The visit took place as Taliban made sweeping gains in Afghanistan and at the same time stepped up their outreach to other countries in a bid to gain legitimacy.

“We have consistently maintained that at this critical juncture in the Afghan peace process, all energies must be focused on reaching an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan. Reduction in violence leading to ceasefire is particularly significant in this regard,” the spokesman further said.

Recalling the commonality in Pakistan’s and China’s approaches towards the Afghan conflict, Mr Chaudhri said both countries were committed to facilitating and supporting an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesman Arindam Bagchi, meanwhile, in a statement from Delhi criticised Taliban advances, while commenting on the meeting between FM Wang and the Taliban delegation.

“Unilateral will of imposition by any party will not be democratic, cannot lead to stability, and cannot provide legitimacy,” Bagchi said.

India has in the past few months also tried to reach out to Taliban.

Mr Chaudhri criticised India, saying it was “among the spoilers of the peace process”. He pointed to what he called Indian opposition to the Afghan peace process and the efforts being made by the international community in this regard.

Meanwhile, in reply to a question about the postponed meeting of the Joint Cooperation Committee, the top decision-making body of CPEC, he said new dates for the meeting would be announced soon. He said foreign ministers of China and Pakistan had discussed the issue during their recently held strategic dialogue.

The meeting was postponed after a bomb attack on a bus carrying Chinese workers to the Dasu dam’s construction site. The spokesman, however, claimed that the postponement of the JCC meeting was not linked to the tragic Dasu incident.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Gaza genocide
Updated 06 Dec, 2024

Gaza genocide

Unless Western states cease their unflinching support to Israel, the genocide is unlikely to end.
Agri tax changes
06 Dec, 2024

Agri tax changes

IT is quite surprising if not disconcerting to see the PPP government in Sindh dragging its feet on the changes to...
AJK unrest
06 Dec, 2024

AJK unrest

THERE is trouble brewing in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where a coalition comprising various civil society organisations...
Failed martial law
Updated 05 Dec, 2024

Failed martial law

Appetite for non-democratic systems of governance appears to be shrinking rapidly. Perhaps more countries are now realising the futility of rule by force.
Holding the key
05 Dec, 2024

Holding the key

IN the view of one learned judge of the Supreme Court’s recently formed constitutional bench, parliament holds the...
New low
05 Dec, 2024

New low

WHERE does one go from here? In the latest blow to women’s rights in Afghanistan, the Taliban regime has barred...