ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, said Thursday that high-level bilateral engagements with the Taliban have resumed after a “long hiatus,” marking what he described as a welcome development.
In a statement, Sadiq said Pakistan, in consultation with Taliban officials, would now work to reactivate various trilateral and multilateral diplomatic mechanisms involving Afghanistan.
These mechanisms include the Immediate Neighbours Plus Russia Format, the Pakistan-China-Afghanistan Trilateral, the Pakistan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Trilateral, and the Pakistan-Iran-Afghanistan Trilateral.
In this context, Sadiq said he held a virtual meeting on Thursday with Yue Xiaoyong, China’s special representative for Afghanistan, to explore the revival of the trilateral process with Afghanistan and to follow up on previous agreements.
“The proposal will be discussed with the Afghan government shortly,” he added.
Sadiq visited Kabul on Wednesday, where he met with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, to discuss bilateral issues, including trade, border management, and security concerns.
