Security, trade on agenda, Pak Dy PM heads to China for trilateral dialogue with Afghans
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will travel to China on Monday, where he is expected to hold bilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi will also arrive in China on May 20 to attend a trilateral meeting with Dar and Wang, a Pakistani news channel reported.
Dar is visiting China from May 19 to 21 on the invitation of his counterpart Wang to hold talks on issues of interest, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
He will hold “in-depth discussions with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the evolving regional situation in South Asia and its implications for peace and stability,” the statement said.
“The two sides will also review the entire spectrum of Pakistan-China bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” it added.
The visit forms part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China that underscore the two countries’ shared commitment to further strengthen the ‘All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership’, according to the statement.
Dar will also participate in the trilateral meeting with his Chinese and Afghan counterparts.
“The foreign ministers of the three countries are expected to discuss the promotion of regional trade, enhanced security cooperation and the evolving situation in the region, particularly in the wake of the recent Pakistan-India conflict,” the report said.
It would be Dar’s first foreign trip after India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end a conflict that saw four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
China had welcomed the understanding between India and Pakistan, saying it was in the fundamental and long-term interest of both countries, and is conducive to regional peace and stability.
India carried out precision strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor’ on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10.
Militants kill 5 Levies in Balochistan
Four levies soldiers were killed when militants attacked their check post in the restive Balochistan province’s Khuzdar district along the strategic China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route, police said. The masked gunmen on Saturday evening attacked the check post in the Nal area of the district and fled the scene, a police official said. While no group has claimed responsibility, security officials believe it was carried out by the BLA.
