KABUL:
A trilateral meeting between Pakistan-Fganistan and China agreed on Saturday the regional realignment and the extension of the Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) from China to Afghanistan.
It was also agreed on the strategic front that Indian influence in Afghanistan would be limited to diplomatic missions, if the alignment worked properly, the sources said.
The decisions, confirmed after a closed doors meeting between Afghan Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, the special envoy of China, Yue Xiaoyong, and the special representative of Pakistan, Mohammad Sadiq, indicate a bold movement towards regional realignment.
The sources said that the Afghan Taliban have silently supported Islamabad’s position on the neutral investigation of the Pahalgama incident on April 22 and would maintain their distance from the Indian club.
After multiple meetings, including individual meetings on Friday night and Saturday, it was decided that Afghan Taliban will be the host of the sixth round of trilateral conversations of foreign ministers with China and Pakistan in Kabul.
These will be the first high -level negotiations that will take place under the leadership of the Talibanes, Source added.
China and Pakistan also illuminated support for deeper political and economic cooperation with Afghanistan by marking Western influence in the south and center of Asia.
The sources said that China would support the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan politically and economically, which will also connect with regional countries through the ties of the road.
As part of the ongoing trilateral commitments, Pakistan’s special envoy joined the Special Chinese representative in a meeting with the Minister of Affane Commerce Azizi.
The special envoy described meetings as constructive and useful to strengthen trade and economic cooperation. The three parties agreed to build on the understanding of the FM level of May 2023 in Islamabad, especially when extending the CPEC to Afghanistan.
The trip of the special envoy of Pakistan was aimed at obtaining the support of neighboring countries in conflict from Pakistan-India, regional connection on Chinese initiatives and to eliminate the IS-KP terrorist group from the Afghan soil, sources added.
In a publication on X, Ambassador SADIQ said that the first trilateral meeting of Pakistan-China-Fganistan gave an opportunity for the convergence of views on economic and security cooperation, as well as regional stability.
