Pakistan Upgrades Ties With Afghanistan Days After China's Taliban Outreach

Days after a China-convened meeting that pushed for greater Pakistan-Afghanistan ties, Islamabad has made a significant announcement - that it will be sending an Ambassador to Kabul soon. This is the first time since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021 that Islamabad has decided to upgrade its ties with its western neighbour.

The announcement was made on Friday by Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar, who met his Chinese counterpart and the Taliban's acting foreign minister last week in Beijing. Diplomatic ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan are currently at a charge d'affaires-level - a step below that of an Ambassador.

Besides last week's ministerial-level meeting organised by Beijing, Pakistan's foreign minister had traveled to Kabul with a Pakistani delegation last month to hold delegation-level talks to further bilateral ties.

'POSITIVE TRAJECTORY'

Praising the "positive trajectory" between Islamabad and Kabul ever since last month's delegation-level talks, Mr Dar said it is time to upgrade ties with the Taliban. Announcing the decision to send an Ambassador, he added that "I am confident this step would further contribute towards enhanced engagement and exchanges between two fraternal countries."

Pakistan-Afghanistan relations are on positive trajectory after my very productive visit to Kabul with Pakistan delegation on 19th April 2025. To maintain this momentum, I am pleased to announce the decision of the Government of Pakistan to upgrade the level of its Chargé…

— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) May 30, 2025

Pakistan however, has not named the person who will be sent to Kabul as Ambassador. The Taliban too, has not responded to Islamabad's gesture yet, though it also has its charge d'affaires based in Islamabad.

CHINA'S MOVES IN AFGHANISTAN

China has made it a priority to settle differences between Pakistan and Afghanistan and push for Beijing's greater influence in south Asia. This could be seen last week. Besides the meeting where all three foreign minister's were present, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held individual closed-door talks with Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

Though China was the first country to accept an Ambassador from the Taliban-run administration in Kabul, Beijing says it officially hasn't formalised ties with Kabul. However, Beijing has swung into action after India's outreach to the Taliban administration on May 15 - when foreign minister S Jaishankar held ministerial-level talks with Kabul for the first time since 2021.

Beijing has also announced that after last week's meeting with the Taliban minister, Afghanistan has come on board the so-called "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor" which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir or PoK. In addition to this, Beijing said that the informal talks it organised between the Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban administration has led to the two countries to upgrade relations.

TRADING CHARGES

Ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan have remained strained since December 2024, when nearly 50 people were killed in Afghanistan's Paktika province after Pakistan's air force bombed the region. Islamabad claims that those who launch attacks inside Pakistan use Afghan soil to do so. Kabul rejects this, saying such attacks emanate from within Pakistan, which is plagued with terrorists which are its own creation. Handling terrorism is Pakistan's domestic problem, Kabul has said.

Afghanistan's Taliban administration has also expressed concern over the manner in which Pakistan was deporting tens of thousands of refugees.

UNOFFICIALLY OFFICIAL

No country has formally recognised the Taliban administration since it took control of Afghanistan after the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces. Nationals globally have called for the Taliban to change course on women's rights.

Pakistan now becomes the fourth country after China, UAE, and Uzbekistan to designate an Ambassador to Kabul. Although these governments maintain that they have not formally recognised the Taliban, diplomats and experts say that having an Ambassador officially present their credentials represents a major step towards recognition.

(Inputs from Reuters)