Officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China are meeting on Wednesday in the Chinese city of Urumqi under the trilateral mechanism, as tensions between Kabul and Islamabad remain high.
Taliban and Pakistani representatives are expected to hold talks in China on Wednesday, as both sides face mounting pressure to contain a dangerous escalation.
Sources stated that the talks are due to take place in Urumqi under the auspices of China’s foreign ministry. While participation from both sides is expected, neither the Taliban nor Pakistani officials had publicly confirmed the full composition of their delegations by early Wednesday.
The expected meeting comes as border clashes, air strikes and political tensions between Kabul and Islamabad have entered their fifth week. Pakistan says its actions are part of a campaign to eliminate what it calls terrorist threats, while the Taliban deny harboring or supporting militant groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP.
The diplomatic effort in China follows a separate gathering in Peshawar on Tuesday held under the title of a joint Afghanistan-Pakistan peace jirga. Participants reportedly included tribal elders, lawmakers, civil society figures, journalists, and business representatives from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and nearby areas.
However, sources said no one officially represented Afghanistan at that jirga, and the meeting lasted only a few hours with a narrow focus on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Even so, participants called for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of formal dialogue between the Taliban and Pakistan.
China’s decision to host the talks reflects its growing concern about instability along its western periphery. Beijing has increasingly positioned itself as a regional mediator, especially where security tensions risk disrupting trade corridors, border stability, and its broader strategic interests in Central and South Asia.
Relations between the Taliban and Pakistan have sharply deteriorated in recent months, despite Pakistan having once been seen as one of the Taliban’s closest regional interlocutors. The relationship has been strained by accusations over cross-border militancy, refugee pressure and repeated frontier incidents.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of failing to stop anti-Pakistan militants from operating from Afghan territory, especially members of the TTP. Taliban authorities have denied the allegation and, in turn, accused Islamabad of violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty through cross-border strikes and military pressure.
China has hosted and supported multiple rounds of regional diplomacy involving the Taliban over the past several years, often seeking to position itself as a stabilizing power. For Beijing, reducing friction between Kabul and Islamabad is also tied to concerns about militant spillover and regional connectivity projects.
If the Urumqi talks go ahead as planned, they could offer a rare opening for direct de-escalation after weeks of violence and recrimination. But expectations remain low unless both sides show willingness to move beyond public accusations and security ultimatums.
Reference Link:- https://www.khaama.com/chinas-urumqi-hosting-kabul-islamabad-talks-amid-rising-tensions/?amp=1