Afghanistan, Pakistan make progress in Chinese talks
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- Afghanistan and Pakistan made "useful" progress in peace talks in Urumqi, China, according to a Kabul statement on April 7.
- China is mediating the talks to end the conflict that erupted in October 2025 and has been the worst between the neighbours since the Taliban’s 2021 return to power.
- Amir Khan Muttaqi said discussions have been useful, met with Chinese ambassador Zhao Xing, and urged that minor interpretations not hinder progress.
- Field Marshal Asim Munir led Pakistani army commanders in a meeting on April 7, deciding the operation will continue until terrorist safe havens and Afghan soil use against Pakistan are decisively eliminated.
- Kabul reported over 400 casualties from a Pakistani air strike on a drug‑rehab centre in Kabul last month; a Reuters reporter counted more than 100 bodies at a hospital after the strike.
- Pakistan rejected Afghan claims that the strike targeted civilians, asserting it precisely hit military installations and terrorist support infrastructure.
Why it matters: The talks give both governments a diplomatic avenue to curb the deadly cross‑border fighting that has already killed scores, while Pakistan’s pledge to keep military pressure on Afghan soil and its denial of civilian casualties keep the conflict’s volatility high, limiting any immediate humanitarian relief.
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