Pakistan and Afghanistan vowed to resume diplomatic relations after a stalemate of four years in an informal trilateral meeting in Beijing on 21st May, 2025. In a recent diplomatic reboot, Islamabad and Kabul had agreed to exchange ambassadors after a year of hostility over the repatriation of Afghan refugees. Since the onset of the expulsion programme in November 2023, nearly one million illegal Afghan nationals have been repatriated, with around three million remaining in Pakistan. The Beijing trilateral holds paramount significance as a meeting between the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China has been arranged just after diplomatic engagement between Kabul and New Delhi. Earlier in June 2025, the Taliban government vowed to boost economic and political ties with New Delhi, terming India as a significant “regional and economic power.” Diplomatic engagement between Kabul and New Delhi urged Beijing to facilitate a dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan. As an outcome of this informal get-together, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)—a flagship project of 62 billion dollars—has been announced to extend into Afghanistan. Extension of CPEC into Kabul will not only strengthen regional interconnection networks but will also revive regional diplomacy, focusing on multiple domains including counterterrorism, economic activity, and enduring peace post-US Afghanistan.
These informal meetings are part of Beijing’s effort to bolster economic activity in the region through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In pursuit of boosting economic activity in the region, both Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to finalize a framework agreement for the railway line project, connecting Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (UAP) in the region. This regional interconnection network will enhance connectivity beyond Central Asia. With the efforts of Beijing, both Islamabad and Kabul expressed willingness to thwart mistrust and ameliorate diplomatic relations starting from the exchange of ambassadors. Previously, Pakistan had maintained a consulate-level presence in Kabul.
Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral ties have been marred by deep mistrust, cross-border attacks, and sharp disagreements over the presence of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants operating from Afghan territory. Since the return of the Afghan Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) has been emboldened and has been accused of orchestrating terror attacks in Pakistan, ranging from suicide bombings and targeted assassinations to complex assaults on military bases and mosques in the restive provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Moreover, frequent border closures and disrupted trade between the two states serve as major snags in their bilateral relations.
With Beijing’s mediation, both Pakistan and Afghanistan could address shared challenges. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of providing shelter to TTP hideouts, allowing them to launch attacks from across the border regions of Pakistan. TTP operates independently, but the group shares ideological roots with the Afghan Taliban. The presence of TTP in Pakistan’s border regions raises serious security concerns. According to the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, a 70 percent hike in terror attacks has been observed in Pakistan since 2024.
In a similar manner, the security of Chinese officials working on CPEC projects has also been jeopardized given the presence of TTP in border areas of Afghanistan. Since 2021, 20 Chinese nationals have been killed in Pakistan, and groups including TTP have claimed responsibility for these attacks. Moreover, China has also expressed concerns over the presence of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) in Afghanistan, accusing the group of using Afghan soil in orchestrating terror attacks against China. For any cooperation to move forward between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Beijing, there is a need to address the shared challenge of terrorism.
With the extension of CPEC to Afghanistan, the likelihood of TTP attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil can be minimized. The future course of Pakistan–Afghanistan relations relies on effective management of the terrorism issue and repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan in a dignified manner. In the said meeting, neither the issue of TTP nor the repatriation of Afghan refugees hasbeen mentioned, leaving both Islamabad and Kabul to manage it effectively. These two factors are major irritants in fostering enduring peace in the region. Misunderstanding and a trust deficit between Pakistan and Afghanistan put two states at loggerheads. Kabul considers repatriation of Afghan refugees as an outcome of the Taliban’s inability to rein in TTP. Given the settlement of Taliban militants in areas inundated by Afghan refugees, this could be a reason behind the Afghan repatriation drive in Pakistan.
Recent signs of thaw in Pak-Afghan frosty relations guarantee regional stability and peaceful coexistence. There is a need to initiate multifaceted dialogue for managing security affairs, border disputes, and the issue of Afghan refugees. Pakistan has consistently upheld its commitment to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan despite regional complexities and political shifts. Strategic interdependence reinforces the urgency of collaborative progress. Therefore, Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan must work in a cooperative manner to restore peace in the region.
