Imran Khan Urges Direct Talks With Afghan Taliban From Prison

The talks between Ismatulla Irgashev, Uzbekistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, and Yue Xiaoyong, his Chinese counterpart, also covered upcoming high-level events related to Afghanistan, the ministry said in a statement.

It added that the meeting was held in a “constructive atmosphere,” and both sides agreed to strengthen dialogue between Tashkent and Beijing on Afghan affairs.

Neither China nor Uzbekistan has formally recognised the Taliban government, but both countries maintain extensive political and economic contacts with the group.

Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov said in July that during a trip to Kabul he held the country’s “first political consultations” with Taliban leaders. He said Uzbekistan would continue supporting Afghanistan’s integration into regional and global processes aimed at ensuring peace, stability and development.

Mohammad Sadiq Khan, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, said in a post on X on Monday that he held a “comprehensive exchange of views” with his Turkish counterpart, Cihad Erginay. He added that the talks covered “ongoing developments in Afghanistan and their broader implications for stability, security and regional cooperation.”

Sadiq Khan did not provide further details, and the Turkish embassy has not commented on the meeting.

Pakistan has struggled over the past four years to prevent Pakistani militants from launching attacks from Afghan territory, a persistent issue that has strained relations between Islamabad and the Taliban.

Türkiye, meanwhile, is one of the few countries that has kept its embassy in Kabul open since the Taliban returned to power. Afghan embassies and consulates in Türkiye are also under Taliban control.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has previously criticised the Taliban’s policies restricting women and girls, though Ankara has generally adopted a cautious approach in its dealings with the group.

Overall asylum applications across the EU fell by 23 percent compared with the same period last year, the agency said, driven mainly by a sharp drop in claims from Syrians following the fall of President Bashar Assad in December. Officials noted the decline was the steepest since the COVID-19 pandemic and not the result of policy changes in the bloc.

Despite continuing violence in parts of Syria and Israeli airstrikes, the formation of a new government under Ahmad Sharaa has raised hopes for stability and reconstruction. The UN Refugee Agency said more than 500,000 Syrians have returned home since mid-May.

By contrast, Afghan applications have remained high since the Taliban seized power in 2021. In Britain alone, 33,970 Afghans have applied for asylum since October 2021, most arriving through irregular routes. A further 35,706 Afghans have resettled in the UK through official programmes.

Germany’s asylum office said Afghans filed the largest number of applications there this year, with 104,012 submitted between 1 January and 31 August. But Berlin’s new government has tightened migration rules and vowed to restrict arrivals.

Reports from the European Commission and the International Organization for Migration show Afghans remain among the five largest groups of asylum seekers across Europe. Observers cite Taliban-imposed restrictions, particularly on women, and security pressures as key drivers.

Germany, once the main destination for Afghan refugees, has now been overtaken by Spain, Italy and France.
In total, EU countries along with Switzerland and Norway received nearly 399,000 asylum applications in the first half of 2025, the EU agency said.

Zamir Kabulov told The Express Tribune that Pakistan and China regularly raise complaints with the Taliban about Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). He described the groups as serious threats to the region, with TTP targeting Pakistan and ETIM posing risks to China.

Kabulov said that the militants could damage the Taliban’s diplomatic relations with Beijing and Islamabad. He suggested Pakistan and China should resolve such issues bilaterally.

Kabulov said the Taliban should be given sufficient support to counter terrorist threats, calling them “troublesome” for Pakistan and China. He urged the Taliban to address these issues with neighbouring countries “in a friendly manner.” The Taliban have repeatedly denied that Afghanistan poses a terror threat to other nations.

He also referred to remarks by Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia’s Security Council, who said 23,000 foreign terrorists were present in Afghanistan; a figure Kabulov called concerning.

Kabulov said Russia’s decision to recognise the Taliban in July was based not only on political and economic considerations but also on security grounds, arguing that strengthening the group could help eliminate terrorism in Afghanistan. He added that creating a secure environment for Russian investors was another factor.

Recognition of the Taliban by other countries, however, “will not be easy,” Kabulov said.

In a joint statement issued at the end of its two-day summit in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin, the organisation expressed support for international efforts to ensure peace and development in Afghanistan.

Member states emphasised the “need for an independent, neutral Afghanistan free from terrorism, war and narcotics,” and pledged to back global initiatives aimed at achieving that goal. The statement stressed that a broad-based, inclusive government with representatives from all ethnic and political groups of Afghan society is the sole way to achieve durable peace and stability.

More than 20 world leaders attended the summit, though the Taliban were not invited. Mongolia, also an observer state, was represented at the meeting.

Founded in 2001, the SCO is a regional security and political bloc whose full members include Russia, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Iran and Uzbekistan. Belarus joined as a full member on 4 July 2024. Afghanistan and Mongolia hold observer status.