Pakistan and Afghanistan vowed to resume diplomatic relations after stalemate of four years in an informal trilateral meeting in Beijing on 21st May, 2025. In recent diplomatic reboot, Islamabad and Kabul had agreed to exchange ambassadors after a year of hostility over repatriation of Afghan refugees. Since the onset of expulsion programme in November 2023, nearly one million illegal Afghan nationals have been repatriated with around three million remaining in Pakistan. Beijing trilateral holds paramount significance as meeting between foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan and China has arranged just after diplomatic engagement between Kabul and New Delhi. Earlier in June 2025, Taliban government vowed to boost economic and political ties with New Delhi, terming India as significant “regional and economic powerâ€. Diplomatic engagement between Kabul and New Delhi urged Beijing to facilitate a dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan. As an outcome of this informal get-together, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – a flagship project of 62 billion dollar has been announced to extend into Afghanistan. Extension of CPEC into Kabul will not only strengthen regional interconnection networks but will also revive regional diplomacy, focusing on multiple domains including counterterrorism, economic activity and enduring peace post- US Afghanistan.
These informal meetings are part of Beijing’s effort to bolster economic activity in the region through Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In pursuit of boosting economic activity in region, both Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to finalize a framework agreement for Railway line project, connecting Uzbekistan – Afghanistan and Pakistan (UAP) in region. This regional interconnection network will enhance connectivity beyond Central Asia. With efforts of Beijing, both Islamabad and Kabul expressed willingness to thwart mistrust and ameliorate diplomatic relations starting from exchange of ambassadors. Previously, Pakistan had maintained consulate- level presence in Kabul.
Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral ties have been marred by deep mistrust, cross-border attacks, and sharp disagreements over the presence of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants operating from Afghan territory. Since the return of Afghan Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) has been emboldened and has been accused of orchestrating terror attacks in Pakistan, ranging from suicide bombings and targeted assassinations to complex assaults on military bases and mosques in restive provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Moreover, frequent border closure and disrupted trade between two states serve as major snag in their bilateral relations.
With Beijing’s mediation both Pakistan and Afghanistan could address shared challenges. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul for providing shelter to TTP hideouts, allowing them to launch attacks from across the border regions of Pakistan. TTP operates independently but the group shares ideological roots with Afghan Taliban. Presence of TTP in Pakistan’s border regions raises serious security concerns. According to Pakistan Institute for peace studies, 70 percent hike in terror attacks have been observed in Pakistan since 2024.
In a similar manner, security of Chinese officials- working on CPEC projects- have also jeopardized given presence of TTP in border areas of Afghanistan. Since 2021, 20 Chinese nationals have been killed in Pakistan, and groups including TTP have claimed responsibility for these attacks. Moreover, China has also expressed concerns over presence of East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) in Afghanistan, accusing the group for using Afghan soil in orchestrating terror attacks against China. For any cooperation to move forward between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Beijing, there is a need to address shared challenge of terrorism.
With the extension of CPEC to Afghanistan, likelihood of TTP attacks in Pakistan from the Afghan soil can be minimized. Future course of Pakistan – Afghanistan relations relies on effective management of terrorism issue and repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan in a dignified manner. In the said meeting, both the issue of TTP and repatriation of Afghan refugees have not been mentioned, leaving on both Islamabad and Kabul to manage it effectively. These two factors are major irritants in fostering enduring peace in region. Misunderstanding and trust deficit between Pakistan and Afghanistan put two states at loggerheads. Kabul considers repatriation of Afghan refugees as an outcome of Taliban’s inability to reign in TTP. Given the settlement of Taliban militants in areas inundated by Afghan refugees, this could be a reason behind Afghan repatriation drive in Pakistan. Recent signs of thaw in Pak-Afghan frosty relations guarantees regional stability and peaceful coexistence. There is a need to initiate multifaceted dialogue for managing security affairs, border disputes and issue of Afghan refugees. Pakistan has consistently upheld its commitment to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan despite regional complexities and political shifts. Strategic interdependence reinforces the urgency of collaborative progress. Therefore, Pakistan, China and Afghanistan must work in cooperative manner to restore peace in the region.
This article was published in another form at https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/08/01/beijing-trilateral-a-renewed-diplomatic-push-for-regional-stability/
Ms Nawal Nawaz is Research Assistant at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Islamabad.
