ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Thursday emphasised the need for stability in Afghanistan as Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto- Zardari met his counterpart in the Taliban administration, Amir Khan Muttaqi, for the first time.
“ The two sides agreed that peace and stability in Afghanistan was vital for indigenous development and substance, ” Foreign Office said in a statement on the meeting between FM Bhutto- Zardari and Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation( SCO) in Tashkent.
The two foreign ministers, while emphasising the significance of “ peaceful, stable and connected Afghanistan ”, noted that it could come the “ fulcrum for enhanced indigenous trade and connectivity ”.
Pakistan and China partake geo- political and profitable interests in Afghanistan. Both had been relieved over Taliban preemption of the war- destroyed country last August. While both may be comfortable with Taliban rule in Afghanistan, but their security enterprises could beget complications.
Islamabad and Beijing have recently been agitating the possibility of extending China- Pakistan Economic Corridor( CPEC) to Afghanistan.
Mr Zardari and Mr Yi, the FO said, bandied the rearmost developments in Afghanistan.
Taliban have been encouraging Pakistan government to make peace with Tehreek- i- Taliban Pakistan, but Beijing is cautious that East Turkestan Islamic Movement, a group of native Uyghurs who want to separate Xinjiang region from China, is active in Baghlan fiefdom, where it hasre-established its base, despite restrictions by Taliban. The ETIM also has close liaison with the TTP.
Mr Bhutto- Zardari and Mr Yi also bandied bilateral relations.
“ The foreign ministers reviewed the progress in bilateral relations and bandied indigenous and transnational issues of collective interest, ” the FO said, adding that FM Bhutto- Zardari underlined that CPEC’s development had reached a new phase, with adding emphasis on high- quality development of assiduity, husbandry, IT, and wisdom and technology, while icing palpable socio- profitable benefits for the people.
“ Both sides reaffirmed their strong support for each other’s core interests and major enterprises, and commitment to heightening strategic communication including at the loftiest political position and practical cooperation, ” the FO further said.
The foreign minister also met his Taliban counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi in Tashkent.
During his first meeting with Mr Muttaqi, the foreign minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan. He also emphasised the need for promoting people- to- people connections, furnishing philanthropic backing and adding trade and conveyance capacity.
Meanwhile in Islamabad, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
This was Chinese envoy’s first meeting with PM Sharif as the former was on leave when the ultimate succeeded Imran Khan, who was ousted through a vote of no confidence.
Mr Sharif emphasised the significance of crucial systems like ML- 1 and KCR in Pakistan’s development plans and expressed desire to move towards finalisation of these systems in the forthcoming 11th meeting of the CPEC Joint Cooperation Committee, the PMO said.
