- Dhaka
Pakistan and Afghanistan Move to Upgrade Diplomatic Ties, Says China
Pakistan and Afghanistan are planning to upgrade their diplomatic relations, China announced yesterday after hosting an informal meeting between the governments of Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban administration. The meeting followed several recent outbreaks of cross-border violence.
According to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, both countries agreed in principle to appoint ambassadors to each other’s capitals as soon as possible. Wang made the statement after holding talks with Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
"The two countries clearly expressed their willingness to elevate the level of diplomatic relations," Wang said in a statement released by the Chinese foreign ministry. "China welcomes this and is willing to continue offering support to improve Afghanistan-Pakistan relations."
Tensions between the two countries have been rising. In December, the Afghan Taliban accused Pakistani military aircraft of bombing eastern Paktika province, killing at least 46 people — most of them women and children. Pakistan has not confirmed the strikes but stated it is conducting "anti-terrorist operations" targeting militants responsible for attacks within Pakistan. Islamabad claims these groups operate from safe havens inside Afghanistan, an allegation Kabul firmly denies.
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