Pakistan, Afghanistan, China Trilateral meeting likely in Kabul

ISLAMABAD: The much-anticipated trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan, China and Afghanistan is expected to take place in Kabul immediately after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Pakistan. Wang Yi arrives in Islamabad on Wednesday following his trip to India, where he is currently in New Delhi.

Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to accompany Wang Yi to Kabul for talks with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Alternatively, sources suggest the Afghan foreign minister may travel to Islamabad for the trilateral meeting. The China-led discussions will focus on key regional issues.

Highly placed diplomatic sources revealed Monday evening that certain influential global capitals have attempted to obstruct the trilateral dialogue. After considerable effort, the three countries have tentatively agreed to proceed with the meeting, which is expected to address Pakistan’s concerns regarding Afghanistan and enhance three-way cooperation.

Wang Yi’s visit holds significant regional implications, particularly as he arrives from New Delhi and precedes Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s trip to China later this month for the SCO Summit in Tianjin. During his stay, the Chinese foreign minister will co-chair a new round of the Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue.

His meetings with Foreign Minister Dar and PM Shehbaz will cover CPEC progress, economic collaboration, regional stability, and defence and security ties. This marks Wang Yi’s first visit since India’s aggression against Pakistan in May last year and follows his July meeting with Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in Beijing, reinforcing the “ironclad” bilateral relationship.

The Chinese foreign minister is also expected to meet with Field Marshal Asim Munir in Rawalpindi. Diplomatic observers highlight the visit’s strategic timing amid shifting dynamics in South Asia. During his recent meeting with Field Marshal Asim Munir, Wang Yi commended the Pakistani military’s role as a guardian of national interests and a pillar of China-Pakistan relations. He expressed hope for continued military cooperation to strengthen bilateral ties, describing both nations as “all-weather strategic partners” united on core issues.

Meanwhile, DPM Dar would pay maiden visit of Bangladesh this week. He would be first top ranking official of Pakistan who will be visiting that country after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s pro-India government in August last.

Well-placed sources told The News here on Monday evening that Federal Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan is scheduled to visit Dhaka on August 21. It is likely Dar would travel to Dhaka on August 23.

Bangladesh High Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Hussain Khan has hinted about the visit of the two dignitaries from Pakistan to his country. The sources pointed out that discussions of the two federal ministers with Bangladesh’s interim government would focus on normalising political and economic relations. Both countries are expected to sign several agreements during the visit, including visa-free travel for diplomatic and official passport holders, cooperation between the two countries’ Foreign Service Academies, and the formation of a Joint Working Group under the ministries of commerce. Other agreements may include the renewal of a cultural exchange MoU and a media cooperation MoU between Bangladesh Press Institute and Pakistan’s APP.