Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, addressed tensions with Pakistan during a consultative meeting between Afghanistan and Central Asian countries.
Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate’s position on negotiations with Pakistan is clear, emphasizing that Afghanistan genuinely seeks to resolve its disputes with the country through sincere dialogue.
According to him, to achieve this goal, Afghanistan has entered talks with Pakistan hosted by China in the city of Urumqi. However, he stressed that if aggression against Afghanistan continues, defending the country remains a legitimate right.
The Foreign Minister said:
“The Afghan government, with full sincerity and in search of a solution, is participating in negotiations with Pakistan currently underway in Urumqi at China’s initiative. Our position is clear: the Islamic Emirate has always sought to resolve issues through dialogue and mutual respect, while at the same time preserving its right to defend its territorial integrity and its people.”
Although analysts are hopeful about the ongoing talks in Urumqi, they remain skeptical about whether Pakistan will honor its commitments in the future.
They suggest that the Islamic Emirate should seek firm guarantees to ensure that Pakistan does not pose a threat to Afghanistan and regional security.
Political analyst Najibullah Jame said:
“We are cautiously optimistic about the China-hosted negotiations, but trusting Pakistan’s promises is difficult, if not impossible. We urge mediating countries to secure guarantees from Pakistan, obtain written commitments, and ensure that its territory is not used against Afghanistan’s stability.”
Some other analysts, considering Beijing’s strong relations with both Kabul and Islamabad, are relatively optimistic that Pakistan may be persuaded toward genuine peace and compensate for its actions against Afghanistan.
Political analyst Shahzada Masoud said:
“China is a major power in the region, with strategic ties to Pakistan and good relations with Afghanistan. Pakistan should first apologize to the people of Afghanistan for violating its sovereignty and causing human and financial losses, and it should compensate for those damages.”
Analyst Obaidullah Bahir added:
“A mediator must have influence over both sides to be effective. China is viewed positively by Afghanistan, as it is a strong regional and global power.”
It has now been four days since negotiations between Afghan and Pakistani representatives began in Urumqi, but no details have been publicly disclosed yet.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that progress has been made in the talks, and that all parties value China’s mediation efforts.
