Afghanistan South Asia

China, Pakistan agree to help Afghanistan reintegrate into global community, Official says

ISLAMABAD — China and Pakistan have agreed to work together to help Afghanistan achieve stability and reintegrate into the international community, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Shafqat Ali Khan, a spokesman for the ministry, highlighted the visit of President Asif Ali Zardari to China, where he met with President Xi Jinping. During their discussions, the two leaders pledged to maintain close communication and coordination on Afghanistan-related issues, he said.

“They reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations with a zero-tolerance approach,” Khan told reporters.

Khan also addressed ongoing tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban government in Kabul, particularly over the presence of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants inside Afghanistan.

“The issue of TTP sanctuaries is a tangible and real problem for Pakistan in its dialogue and interaction with the Taliban,” he said. “This is the core issue complicating our relations, which should be much better than they are today.”

Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Taliban to take action against TTP militants who, officials say, use Afghan territory as a base to launch attacks inside Pakistan.

“This is a problem that Afghanistan has to address,” Khan said.

Khan also discussed Pakistan’s deportation of Afghan migrants, a policy that has drawn criticism from human rights groups and the international community. He defended the decision, saying it was part of a longstanding effort to repatriate “illegal foreigners.”

“This is not something targeted at Afghans only,” he said. “In any country, if you find an illegal alien without documents or proof of residence, repatriation is a normal process.”

He added that certain countries had identified Afghans they wished to resettle—many of whom had worked for foreign embassies or international organizations during NATO’s presence in Afghanistan.

“We are in touch with those countries,” he said. “But at times, the process feels very slow.”

Khan reiterated Pakistan’s position that the Taliban must honor their commitments to the international community by taking “visible and verifiable” action against all terrorist groups operating on Afghan soil.

“There should be no discrimination in counterterrorism efforts,” he said.

The comments come amid growing concerns over the Taliban’s reluctance to act against militant groups, which has strained relations with regional powers, including Pakistan and China.