ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said Thursday that the burden of ending its conflict with Afghanistan lay with Kabul, as the two sides held preliminary talks to try to end hostilities, AFP reported.
Negotiations started in Urumqi, in northwest China, on Wednesday, after Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelled to Beijing for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi told reporters in the capital that the government hoped for a "durable solution".
"Our participation (in talks) is a reiteration of our core concerns," he said.
"The burden of real process, however, lies with Afghanistan, which must demonstrate visible and verifiable actions against terrorist groups using (its) soil against Pakistan."
'Working level talks'
He described the negotiations as "working level talks" and said they were ongoing.
"Our delegation has not returned yet," he added.
Pakistan and Afghanistan announced a pause in fighting to mark the end of Ramadan last month, at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.
But sporadic attacks have been reported in remote border areas since the temporary truce ended. The Taliban government denies providing sanctuary to extremists.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar have previously attempted to reduce tensions since the conflict escalated in February, while talks in Istanbul last November also failed.
Diplomatic efforts
Pakistan has stepped up its diplomatic efforts last week to resolve ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Persian Gulf, and Iran, holding high-level meetings, bilateral discussions, and regional consultations, according to the Foreign Office.
In this connection, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held multiple telephone conversations with counterparts across the region and beyond, said Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi on Thursday at a weekly briefing.
According to the spokesperson, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the second round of four-party consultations with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt.
The first meeting had been held in Riyadh on March 19.
Before the group discussions, the visiting ministers held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Dar.
The talks covered the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, efforts to de-escalate violence, and strategies to promote peace and diplomacy.
Pakistan reaffirmed its strong ties with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt, emphasizing regional cooperation and coordination across multiple areas of mutual interest.
The formal consultations ran 15 minutes longer than scheduled, signaling the depth of the discussions.
Key points from the talks included calls for an early end to the war, recognition of the devastating impact on civilian lives, and the importance of Muslim unity.
Deputy Prime Minister Dar briefed the visiting ministers in Islamabad on potential US-Iran talks, which were met with full support.
The ministers agreed on dialogue as the primary path to prevent conflict, uphold the UN Charter, and strengthen mutual cooperation.
A major development last week was Deputy Prime Minister Dar’s visit to China at the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Despite medical advice to rest due to an injury, Dar held in-depth discussions on regional and bilateral issues, including Afghanistan.
A milestone outcome was a five-point peace initiative by China and Pakistan, emphasizing the immediate cessation of hostilities, humanitarian assistance, the security of civilians, a commitment to dialogue, and adherence to the UN Charter. The initiative highlighted the importance of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
The week also saw extensive telephone diplomacy, the Foreign Office spokesperson said.
Prime Minister Sharif spoke with leaders, including the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Iran’s President, and the President of the European Council.
Discussions focused on Pakistan’s mediation efforts, peace initiatives, and regional de-escalation.
Deputy Prime Minister Dar held calls with Chinese, Egyptian, Turkish, Qatari, Indonesian, Iranian, and UN officials, emphasizing diplomacy as the only viable path to sustainable peace.
Notably, Iran allowed 20 additional Pakistan-flagged ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a move hailed as a constructive gesture toward regional stability.
On another front, said the spokesperson, eight foreign ministers from Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s restrictions on Muslim and Christian worship in Jerusalem, including at Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
The statement reaffirmed the legal and historical status of Jerusalem’s holy sites and called on the international community to press Israel to halt violations.
These developments, said the Foreign Office spokesperson, underscore Pakistan’s active role in promoting regional diplomacy and conflict resolution, while reinforcing strategic partnerships with key regional and global actors, it was said at the briefing.
