Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in Kabul to Attend Pakistan–China–Afghanistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Islamabad | Kabul — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar has departed for Kabul to represent Pakistan at the sixth trilateral meeting of Foreign Ministers involving Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan. The visit underlines Islamabad’s commitment to enhancing regional cooperation in key domains such as regional connectivity, trade, and counter-terrorism.

High-Level Diplomatic Engagement

The delegation, led by Senator Dar and accompanied by Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq, Special Representative to the Prime Minister on Afghanistan, and senior Foreign Ministry officials, will converge with counterparts from China and Afghanistan in Kabul today. Topics on the agenda include strengthening trade ties, exploring new corridors of connectivity, and reinforcing collaborative measures against transnational terror threats. Senator Dar is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister to further deepen bilateral ties.

First Formal Trilateral Dialogue in Two Years

This meeting marks the first formal trilateral engagement since the Taliban’s return to power four years ago, and represents a diplomatically significant step forward. Notably, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi—currently on an official visit—will join the discussions as co-chair.

Strategic Goals and Regional Outlook

The trilateral forum is expected to result in tangible outcomes related to regional cooperation:

• Economic and Connectivity Bridges: Focused dialogue on practical pathways to extend the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan, bolstering cross-border infrastructure and increasing trade.
• Counter-Terrorism Coordination: Collective commitment to eradicate extremist threats, with China expressing support for joint measures against terrorism.
• Diplomatic Normalization: The gathering follows prior informal talks in Beijing, where all three nations agreed in principle to elevate diplomatic representation to the ambassadorial level, signaling renewed trust and institutional engagement.

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Broader Significance

The trilateral meeting comes ahead of Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. It reinforces Pakistan’s diplomatic posture within the region and showcases China’s role as a pivotal mediator.

These coordinated diplomatic initiatives reaffirm Pakistan’s strategy of active regional engagement—balancing political, economic, and security interests within South and Central Asia to foster peace, connectivity, and collective development.