Pakistan, Afghanistan to hold trilateral talks with China amid regional tensions

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 18 (ANI): Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will travel to Beijing on Monday to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Afghanistan's interim Foreign Minister Ameer Khan Muttaqi is also scheduled to arrive in China on May 20, ARY News reported, citing sources.

ARY News, in its report citing sources, said that Ishaq Dar will lead a delegation for talks with the Chinese Premier. Additionally, a trilateral meeting involving the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan is expected to take place in Beijing.

The ministers are likely to discuss the current regional situation, particularly in light of rising tensions between India and Pakistan. The meeting will also focus on enhancing mutual trade, regional security, and cooperation, the sources added.

These diplomatic efforts come after a recent spike in tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Over 100 terrorists affiliated with groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen were reportedly killed.

Following India's operation on terror infrastructure, Pakistan violated the existing ceasefire agreement and blatantly indulged in cross-border shelling and attempted drone strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border. In response, India launched coordinated attacks, neutralising radar systems, communication centres, and causing extensive damage to 11 Pakistani airbases.

On May 10, both sides agreed to a cessation of hostilities.

In a rare public acknowledgement, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently admitted that India's ballistic missiles had struck Nur Khan Airbase and other sites on May 10. He stated that Army Chief General Asim Munir informed him of the strikes at around 2:30 am. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)