ISLAMABAD (MNN); Pakistan on Monday rejected media reports claiming that it had declined China’s proposal to facilitate talks with the Afghan Taliban, terming such reports as baseless and speculative.
In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said any speculation or fabrication of facts regarding Pakistan’s stance was unwarranted. He emphasized that Pakistan and China remain trusted partners and close friends who maintain regular communication on matters of mutual interest.
According to the spokesperson, both countries stay in close contact on regional and international issues, and therefore reports suggesting that Pakistan rejected China’s offer for mediation are inaccurate.
Earlier, Beijing reiterated its willingness to help ease tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan amid growing border friction. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the immediate priority was to prevent further escalation and bring both sides back to the negotiating table.
He added that China was ready to continue playing a constructive role in promoting reconciliation and improving relations between Islamabad and Kabul, noting that Beijing has recently been engaged in diplomatic efforts with both sides.
These remarks came shortly after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephone conversation with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, urging both countries to resolve disputes through dialogue and consultation rather than the use of force.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have increased in recent years, particularly following the return of the Afghan Taliban to power in Kabul in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration to eliminate militant sanctuaries on Afghan soil, especially those linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
Meanwhile, security developments along the border have intensified. Pakistan’s security forces launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq on February 26 after what officials described as unprovoked firing by Afghan Taliban fighters from across the border.
Security sources said that during ongoing operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram sector, forces targeted and destroyed several hideouts belonging to Afghan Taliban elements and militants referred to by the state as Fitna al-Khawarij. Several militants were killed during the operations while others fled.
In a separate development, Pakistani forces reportedly destroyed Afghan Taliban positions across the border in the Bajaur sector using guided missiles. Security officials vowed that the military campaign would continue until its objectives are fully achieved.
On Sunday, Pakistan’s armed forces also conducted overnight strikes in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, destroying what officials described as technical support infrastructure and a weapons storage facility used by militants.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed the military action and said a tunnel used by terrorists was also destroyed during the operation.
Later, Tarar said that four civilians were killed and a child injured after Afghan Taliban forces allegedly targeted civilian areas in Bajaur district through artillery and mortar fire from across the border.
Separately, two people were abducted and killed in suspected militant-related incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district.
In one incident in Domel tehsil, armed men abducted a prominent local figure, Malik Nabiullah, along with three others who were later released. Nabiullah was taken to an unknown location and shot dead, with his body later recovered.
In another case, a young man identified as Shazeb Khan was abducted late Sunday from his village in the Bakakhel area near the Tochi Bridge and later killed, with his body found along a roadside.
Police said investigations into both incidents were underway.
Meanwhile, a suspected militant attack on the Fatah Khel police post in Bannu was foiled after police personnel detected suspicious movement through thermal cameras and opened fire. The attackers fled the area following the retaliatory action.
Security officials said the timely response by police prevented a potentially major attack. Bannu district has witnessed a series of security incidents in recent months, prompting targeted counterterrorism operations.
