China's Foreign Ministry said on Friday that talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan are being held in Urumqi for the second consecutive day and that the talks, mediated by Beijing, are "gradual, positive, continuous and smooth." Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate has stressed that it is in a defensive position and said the focus of the talks is good neighborliness, trade relations and the management of security issues, while Pakistan has called for "visible and verifiable" action against armed groups by Kabul.
Publish dateSaturday 4 April 2026 - 08:45
Story Code : 349783
Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday that talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan are progressing gradually and positively. The round of talks comes amid rising tensions between the two South Asian neighbors and an attempt to end the worst conflict since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan returned to power in 2021.
China, which shares a western border with both countries, has so far tried to play a mediating role by making phone calls to foreign ministers and sending a special envoy. "Both countries attach great importance to China's mediation and are ready to sit at the negotiating table again, which is a positive development," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said.
He declined to give details of the location of the talks, but the two sides had previously said the meetings were held in the northwestern Chinese city of Urumqi. "China is creating the right conditions and providing a platform for dialogue for the two sides, and more information will be announced in the future," Mao Ning said.
"Both Pakistan and Afghanistan welcome China's mediation and want to sit at the negotiating table again, which is a positive development," Mao Ning said. The negotiations are progressing steadily. The three sides have agreed on specific practices, including news coverage. We will release more information in due course if it becomes available.”
Sources: Talks continue for second day
Meanwhile, reliable sources told TOLOnews that talks between the delegations of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and Pakistan have begun in Urumqi, China, and no details of the outcome are available. The sources confirmed that the talks are continuing for the second consecutive day and the delegations of the two countries will continue their discussions today (Friday).
Kabul: We have participated with a balanced and principled approach
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has announced that at the request of Beijing, it has sent a mid-level delegation to Urumqi, China, to hold formal talks with the Pakistani side based on its principled position.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate's foreign ministry, said Kabul's participation in the talks was conducted in a balanced and principled manner, adding that the focus of the talks was "good neighborliness, strengthening trade ties and effective management of security issues."
"The Islamic Emirate is participating in these meetings with a balanced and principled approach and intends to hold comprehensive and responsible talks with the other side on good neighborliness, strengthening trade relations and effective management of security issues," he said.
Islamabad: Our focus is on security concerns
Pakistan also confirmed the talks with the Islamic Emirate delegation in China, adding that Islamabad is focusing on its security concerns in the talks.
"Our participation is a reiteration of our main concerns," Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi told reporters. "However, the real responsibility for the process lies with Afghanistan, which must take visible and verifiable action against terrorist groups using Afghan soil against Pakistan."
Minister of Economy of the Islamic Emirate: We are in a state of defense, not aggression
Meanwhile, Economy Minister Din Mohammad Hanif told a news conference in Kabul that the ongoing war was started by Pakistan and the Islamic Emirate was in a defensive position. The senior official expressed hope that the ongoing talks with Pakistan would lead to an outcome that would benefit both sides.
"We are in a state of defense, not aggression," the Islamic Emirate's economy minister said. "We are always trying to find a way to ensure peace, and representatives of the two countries are now engaged in negotiations in China, and we hope to lead to an end to the war."
China, which shares a western border with both countries, has so far tried to play a mediating role by making phone calls to foreign ministers and sending a special envoy. "Both countries attach great importance to China's mediation and are ready to sit at the negotiating table again, which is a positive development," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said.
He declined to give details of the location of the talks, but the two sides had previously said the meetings were held in the northwestern Chinese city of Urumqi. "China is creating the right conditions and providing a platform for dialogue for the two sides, and more information will be announced in the future," Mao Ning said.
"Both Pakistan and Afghanistan welcome China's mediation and want to sit at the negotiating table again, which is a positive development," Mao Ning said. The negotiations are progressing steadily. The three sides have agreed on specific practices, including news coverage. We will release more information in due course if it becomes available.”
Sources: Talks continue for second day
Meanwhile, reliable sources told TOLOnews that talks between the delegations of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and Pakistan have begun in Urumqi, China, and no details of the outcome are available. The sources confirmed that the talks are continuing for the second consecutive day and the delegations of the two countries will continue their discussions today (Friday).
Kabul: We have participated with a balanced and principled approach
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has announced that at the request of Beijing, it has sent a mid-level delegation to Urumqi, China, to hold formal talks with the Pakistani side based on its principled position.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate's foreign ministry, said Kabul's participation in the talks was conducted in a balanced and principled manner, adding that the focus of the talks was "good neighborliness, strengthening trade ties and effective management of security issues."
"The Islamic Emirate is participating in these meetings with a balanced and principled approach and intends to hold comprehensive and responsible talks with the other side on good neighborliness, strengthening trade relations and effective management of security issues," he said.
Islamabad: Our focus is on security concerns
Pakistan also confirmed the talks with the Islamic Emirate delegation in China, adding that Islamabad is focusing on its security concerns in the talks.
"Our participation is a reiteration of our main concerns," Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi told reporters. "However, the real responsibility for the process lies with Afghanistan, which must take visible and verifiable action against terrorist groups using Afghan soil against Pakistan."
Minister of Economy of the Islamic Emirate: We are in a state of defense, not aggression
Meanwhile, Economy Minister Din Mohammad Hanif told a news conference in Kabul that the ongoing war was started by Pakistan and the Islamic Emirate was in a defensive position. The senior official expressed hope that the ongoing talks with Pakistan would lead to an outcome that would benefit both sides.
"We are in a state of defense, not aggression," the Islamic Emirate's economy minister said. "We are always trying to find a way to ensure peace, and representatives of the two countries are now engaged in negotiations in China, and we hope to lead to an end to the war."
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