Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan on Wednesday reaffirmed their resolve to deepen regional cooperation, announcing an agreement to extend the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan.
The decision was made at the Sixth Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue, hosted in Kabul on August 20 and attended by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
According to a joint statement, the three sides said the CPEC extension would enhance trade, transit, and development opportunities for Afghanistan, bringing it closer to regional markets. The ministers also committed to stronger collaboration in counter-terrorism and drug trafficking, stressing the need for coordinated security measures to stabilize the region.
The dialogue further reaffirmed cooperation in health, education, culture, and regional connectivity. “We remain committed to promoting peace, development, and prosperity in the region,” the statement read.
On the sidelines, Dar held a bilateral meeting with Muttaqi, urging Afghanistan to take “concrete and verifiable” action against terrorist groups launching cross-border attacks. He expressed concern over the surge in terrorist incidents inside Pakistan, blaming outfits such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army’s Majeed Brigade.
“Progress in political and commercial ties is encouraging, but cooperation in the security domain, especially counter-terrorism, continues to lag behind,” Dar remarked. Muttaqi, for his part, reaffirmed Kabul’s commitment to ensuring Afghan soil is not used against Pakistan or any other country.
The two ministers also welcomed the elevation of diplomatic ties from chargé d’affaires to ambassador level, a decision finalised at their May meeting in Beijing. They reviewed Dar’s earlier visits to Kabul in April and July, noting that most decisions from those engagements had already been implemented or were nearing completion.
Dar thanked the Afghan government for its hospitality and congratulated Kabul on successfully hosting the trilateral dialogue.
