Informed sources told the Express Tribune that while Pakistan welcomes China’s efforts to reduce tensions, it has made clear it will continue its current policy of not engaging or holding talks with the Taliban regime.
According to the sources, Pakistani officials told their Chinese counterparts that Islamabad had tried all diplomatic channels with the Taliban before the outbreak of the conflict.
China has recently stepped up its diplomatic efforts and sent its special envoy for Afghanistan to Kabul and Islamabad. The move is part of a broader attempt to calm rising tensions between the two neighbors.
China’s foreign ministry said its special envoy for Afghanistan has been travelling between Afghanistan and Pakistan to mediate.
However, the sources said meetings between the Chinese envoy and Pakistani officials led Islamabad to conclude that the Taliban leadership had not changed its position regarding militant groups based in Afghanistan.
According to the sources, Taliban officials reiterated to the Chinese envoy their long-standing stance that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan issue is an internal problem of Pakistan, while insisting that Afghan territory is not being used against neighboring countries.
Pakistani officials rejected this claim, saying there is substantial evidence, including reports by the United Nations Security Council, which they say confirm Islamabad’s position about the presence and activities of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants in Afghanistan.
In these circumstances, Pakistan has told China that without concrete steps from Kabul to address Islamabad’s concerns, there is little room for meaningful diplomatic progress.
Earlier, Tahir Andrabi, spokesperson for Pakistan’s foreign ministry, confirmed during his weekly briefing that despite requests from some friendly countries to engage with Taliban officials, Pakistan would continue its current policy towards Afghanistan.
He said the Taliban had refused to provide assurances to curb terrorism on Afghan soil and therefore we will continue our current policy towards that country.
However, it is also reported that while Pakistan maintains its overall stance, a temporary pause in the fighting during the Eid holiday has not been ruled out.
