KEY POINTS
- China, Pakistan, Afghan Taliban agree to extend CPEC into Afghanistan
- The strategy aims to reduce India’s influence in Afghanistan
- The Afghan Taliban backed Pakistan’s stance on a neutral probe into the Pahalgam incident
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, China, and the Afghan Taliban have agreed to expand trilateral cooperation, including extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan, as part of a broader strategy to reduce India’s footprint in the country.
This decision marks a major shift in South and Central Asian dynamics. Sources privy to the high-level talks confirmed that if the new alignment proceeds as planned, India’s influence in Afghanistan will be pared down to the level of limited diplomatic engagement—a significant strategic recalibration in a region long shadowed by rivalries.
The meeting was attended by Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, China’s Special Envoy Yue Xiaoyong, and Pakistan’s Special Representative Mohammad Sadiq.
This trilateral consensus not only paves the way for Afghanistan’s integration into CPEC but also signals a collective move by the three nations to dilute Western influence and tighten intra-regional connectivity on their own terms.
Sources further revealed that the Afghan Taliban quietly endorsed Islamabad’s stance on a neutral probe into the April 22 Pahalgam incident, distancing themselves from what they called the “Indian club” and aligning more closely with Beijing and Islamabad.
In a significant diplomatic overture, the Taliban have agreed to host the next—sixth—round of trilateral foreign ministers’ talks in Kabul, marking the first high-level engagement of its kind under the Taliban’s leadership.
China, in turn, has reportedly committed to supporting the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan both politically and economically.
In addition to expanded road links, Beijing’s involvement is set to bring Afghanistan into the broader Belt and Road Initiative framework, effectively rerouting the economic future of the war-torn nation through Chinese corridors of influence.
Adding weight to the trilateral understanding, Pakistan’s special envoy and China’s representative also held talks with Afghan Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi, focusing on trade expansion and regional economic ties.
Ambassador Sadiq later described the engagement as “constructive and forward-looking,” emphasising that the parties aim to build on the momentum from the May 2023 trilateral summit in Islamabad.
Strategic sources say Pakistan used the meeting to rally regional support not only for the extension of CPEC but also to consolidate positions on its ongoing tensions with India, and to press for a cooperative strategy to eliminate the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-KP) from Afghan soil.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ambassador Sadiq remarked that the trilateral dialogue served as a “rare opportunity for convergence of views” on key regional issues—ranging from security coordination to economic integration.
If sustained, this emerging tripartite axis could reshape regional alliances, turning the rugged terrain of Afghanistan into a central corridor of commerce and carving out a new chapter in the region’s political narrative.
