Pakistan, China and Afghanistan vow to strengthen joint efforts against terrorism 

Kabul (Web Desk): Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan on reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening joint efforts to combat terrorism and to expanding cooperation across various important sectors.

This commitment came during the Sixth Trilateral Foreign Ministers Dialogue held in Kabul, where Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with his Chinese and Afghan counterparts, Wang Yi and Amir Khan Muttaqi, respectively. Their discussions spanned political, economic, and security collaboration.

The Sixth Trilateral Foreign Ministers Dialogue was held on 20 August 2025 in Kabul between Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan @MIshaqDar50, Foreign Minister of China @MFA_China, and Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan @mfa_afghanistan, focusing on political,… pic.twitter.com/i6n8I2oYgr

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 20, 2025

A statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Office highlighted that the three nations agreed to intensify their coordinated actions against terrorism. Additionally, they pledged to enhance partnerships in areas including trade, transit, regional development, healthcare, education, culture, and efforts to curb drug trafficking. The extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan was also reaffirmed.

Ahead of the trilateral meeting, Dar held talks with Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi on the sidelines, where they recognized positive progress in political and economic ties between their countries. Both officials reiterated their commitment to work closely on counter-terrorism measures and on fostering peace and stability in the region.

PR No.2️⃣5️⃣2️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan @MIshaqDar50 Meets with the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan @mfa_afghanistan.

⬇️https://t.co/rhuy5Tbpxq pic.twitter.com/MsfTUZQ8XJ

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 20, 2025

The Foreign Office further noted that they welcomed the recent upgrade in diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, moving from chargé d’affaires to ambassadorial status.
While acknowledging encouraging strides in political and commercial relations,

FM Dar pointed out that cooperation on security, particularly in counter-terrorism, has lagged behind. He expressed concern over a rise in terrorist attacks in Pakistan attributed to groups based in Afghanistan and urged Afghan authorities to take concrete and verifiable steps against banned organizations such as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) /Majeed Brigade. In response, FM Muttaqi assured that Afghanistan is committed to ensuring its soil is not used by any terrorist groups to target Pakistan or other countries.

Upon his arrival in Kabul, FM Dar was welcomed by Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Dr. Mohammad Naeem, other Afghan officials, and Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, has arrived in Kabul today for the 6th Trilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, China and Afghanistan.

The DPM/FM was received by Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Dr.
Mohammad… pic.twitter.com/qpf42VV33X

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 20, 2025

This visit followed the decision on May 21 to elevate diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan by exchanging ambassadors, an important move toward normalizing ties after years of tension between Islamabad and the Taliban-led administration in Kabul.

This agreement was initially reached during an informal trilateral meeting in Beijing involving the foreign ministers of Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan.

The meeting was part of China’s broader initiative to ease regional tensions and promote connectivity through its Belt and Road Initiative. Both Pakistan and China also concurred on extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into Afghanistan during these discussions.

China, which holds strategic interests in ensuring regional stability and economic integration, hosted the dialogue to resume the trilateral talks that had been on hold since 2023.

Besides reaffirming commitments to combat terrorism, the Beijing meeting emphasized joint actions against militant groups and external interference, while agreeing to formally continue the trilateral dialogue by convening the sixth Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Kabul.

Earlier in the month, the Afghan government had called for mutual respect and constructive engagement with Pakistan and China, according to a statement from its interior ministry.

This followed meetings in Kabul between Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and special envoys from Pakistan and China, Mohammad Sadiq and Yue Xiaoyong, respectively.