Islamabad insists Kabul must provide “verifiable assurances” on militant sanctuaries before any diplomatic engagement.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has politely rejected a diplomatic initiative from Wang Yi to revive formal talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban government, insisting that dialogue cannot resume while militant groups continue to operate from Afghan territory.
According to officials cited by the Express Tribune, Beijing recently intensified efforts to mediate between Islamabad and Kabul. China dispatched a special envoy and encouraged face-to-face discussions between Pakistani authorities and the Afghan Taliban leadership, including Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi.
However, Pakistani officials maintained that previous diplomatic channels have already been exhausted. Islamabad reiterated that normalization of ties depends on “verifiable assurances” that Afghan soil will not be used by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
The dispute has remained a key source of tension between the two neighbors since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul. Pakistan says multiple reports from the United Nations Security Council confirm the presence of TTP fighters in Afghanistan, a claim the Taliban government continues to deny.
During meetings with Chinese mediators, Taliban representatives reportedly dismissed the TTP issue as Pakistan’s “internal problem,” reinforcing Islamabad’s stance that talks cannot move forward without concrete action.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, said the policy of non-engagement will remain until credible steps are taken. He added that a short humanitarian pause during the upcoming Eid holidays could still be considered.
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