Pakistan has affirmed that it is negotiating with Afghanistan in a move to overcome the worst stage of the conflict between the two neighbours since Taliban came back to power in 2021. The talks are being held in Urumqi, a city located in the Xinjiang region of China, and it involves high level officials of both sides.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson of Pakistan said that the dialogue is one of the ongoing attempts to de-escalate the tensions that had been going on the common border which is nearly 2,600 kilometres long. The war that escalated in October last year has claimed a lot of lives and led to a poor relationship between the two nations that were once regarded as close allies.
China is also a major mediator in the talks, in an effort to get both parties to a negotiated compromise. The talks will be aimed at the creation of a cease fire and opening of important border crossing points that are vital to trade and movement across the borders.
The government representatives reported that one of the top priorities is to restore the economic activity and ease travel bans because the two countries want to stabilise the situation in the region and minimise the humanitarian and economic cost of the ongoing conflict.
In spite of these, Pakistan has shown its interest in maintaining diplomatic contact, and it recognises that there might be barriers along the way but it is vital to maintain a dialogue. The result of these negotiations may have a significant influence on the development of further relations and the stability of South Asia.