China calls for talks to end Pak-Afghan clashes
• In phone call with Muttaqi, Wang cautions both sides against use of force
• Beijing’s envoy, Pakistani officials discuss steps to defuse tensions
• Info ministry rubbishes Taliban claim of taking military post
SHANGHAI / ISLAMABAD: China is continuing its efforts to bring Pakistan and Afghanistan to the negotiating table, encouraging both countries to resolve their differences through dialogue rather than conflict.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged both sides to settle their disputes through diplomatic talks, instead of resorting to the use of force.
According to a statement published by the Chinese foreign ministry on Friday, Mr Wang told his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi in a phone call that Islamabad and Kabul should resolve tensions between them by preferring negotiations over hostilities.
Mr Wang urged both sides to remain calm and exercise restraint, hold face-to-face talks as soon as possible, seek an immediate ceasefire and address differences through dialogue, the statement added.
The further use of force would only complicate the situation and intensify tensions, Mr Wang said.
“China is willing to continue to make active efforts to help achieve reconciliation and detente between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” said Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong on X, sharing the call’s details.
On Saturday, China’s special envoy to Afghanistan, Dr Yue Xiaoyong, shared a post on X that he met with Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch and Special Representative on Afghan Affairs Mohammad Sadiq to discuss reducing border clashes with the Taliban.
He wrote that the meeting focused on the importance of preventing an escalation of the conflict, returning to negotiations, and promoting peace.
Peace efforts
On Thursday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office acknowledged that Islamabad was engaging with Beijing on the issue of the recent border hostilities with Afghanistan.
During his weekly briefing, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had recently held a phone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
“We [Pakistan and China] enjoy unanimity of views on all issues, including with respect to Afghanistan. As you know, we are engaged in a dialogue process on Afghanistan. Afghanistan features both in our bilateral dialogue as well as in our trilateral dialogue framework,” Mr Andrabi added.
Earlier this week, China’s ambassador to Kabul, Zhao Xing, and Dr Yue met Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Muttaqi this week.
“In our talks with [the] Afghanistan [foreign minister] and [industry and commerce] minister, [the] Afghan side also stressed their readiness to redouble efforts to solve recent cases of terrorist attacks and enhance security and protection of Chinese people working inside Afghanistan,” Dr Yue wrote in a post on X.
Claim dismissed
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s information and broadcasting ministry on Saturday rubbished claims by the Afghan Taliban regarding the capture of a military post, saying it was “designed to mislead internal public opinion” in the neighbouring country.
In a post on the social media platform X, the ministry’s fact-checking account posted a photo of a post by the Afghan Ministry of Defence, which claimed that a Pakistani military outpost was captured while 14 soldiers were martyred.
In response, the information ministry said: “This latest claim of the so-called Ministry of Defence of the Afghan Taliban Regime regarding capturing some post and made-up damages etc, is false as always, fabricated and designed to mislead Afghan internal public opinion, which are unfortunately first-hand experiencing and suffering under these terror sponsors.”
It said that damages and losses incurred by the “master proxy Afghan Taliban and their extension Fitna al Khawarij” were being regularly updated by the ministry.
Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
“Related video and pictorial evidence, where applicable, is also shared with the media, rather than resorting to fake claims and propaganda,” the ministry said.
“Contrarily, beyond the amplification cycle of terrorists and Indian media/social media networks, there has been no credible and verifiable evidence of such repeated frivolous claims made by the Taliban outlets. These claims have, in fact, always fallen on their face once fact checked,” it added.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also wrote on X that “these false claims have no basis or foundation”.
Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima stated on X that “fake claims cannot shield terror networks”.
The prime minister’s spokesperson for foreign media, Mosharraf Zaidi, said the Afghan Taliban were “spending more time weaving fantasies than they are getting rid of the TTP, Balochistan Liberation Army and other terrorist organisations enjoying Afghan Taliban regime hospitality”.
“Propaganda won’t cause Pakistan to end its counter terrorism operations. Only the end of terrorism from Afghan soil to Pakistan will,” he said.
With input from Reuters
Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2026