Latest news with #MinistryofForeignAffairsofPakistan
Mint
21-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
China, Pakistan agree to expand CPEC to Afghanistan for regional ‘peace, stability, and development'
China and Pakistan, on Wednesday, 21 May 2025, have agreed to expand their bilateral Economic Corridor to Afghanistan after Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with the Chinese and Afghanistani delegation at Beijing, reported the news agency PTI. Pakistan's Ishaq Dar met with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi at an informal trilateral meeting in Beijing on Wednesday. 'Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan stand together for regional peace, stability, and development,' said Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in a social media post on the platform X. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan's post on the social media platform X, the three foreign ministers 'reaffirmed' that the trilateral cooperation seeks to promote regional security and economic connectivity in order to boost trade and development in the nations. 'They agreed to deepen Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation and extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan,' according to the official post on X. The Foreign Ministry also said that the three foreign ministers shared their commitments to countering 'terrorism' in the region and fostering development and stability in the nations. They also announced that the 6th Trilateral Foreign Ministers' meeting will be held in Kabul. 'The Ministers underscored their shared commitment to countering terrorism and fostering stability and development in the region,' according to the post. 'It was agreed that the 6th Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting will be held in Kabul at an early, mutually convenient date,' said the Ministry in the post on X. This is the first Pakistan-China meeting along with Afghanistan since the India-Pakistan conflict, which started after the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists, and India's retaliation move against terrorism in Operation Sindoor. According to the official announcement from the Pakistan government, both nations explored discussions about cooperation in trade, investment ICT, agriculture, industrialization, and other key sectors. 'They discussed enhancing diplomatic engagement, strengthening communications, and taking practical steps to boost trade, infrastructure, and development as key drivers of shared prosperity,' according to the post. The two nations agreed to maintain close communication and coordination at all levels, including multilateral forums, to advance their individual goals.
Business Recorder
18-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
160 Afghan trucks given clearance: India reopens Wagha border after 26-day closure
ISLAMABAD: After a 26-day closure following the Pahalgam terrorist incident on April 23, India reopened Wagah-Attari Border, allowing over 160 stranded Afghan trucks, loaded with dry fruit, essential edibles and medicinal herbs, it was learnt. The decision follows a recent easing of military escalation between Pakistan and India after a ceasefire agreement reached on May 10. The Wagah-Attari border crossing had been closed for all kinds of trade and passengers movements since April 22, halting shipments of dry fruits—primarily from Afghanistan. Pakistan allows 150 Afghan trucks to enter India via Wagah border The latest development marks the first movement of Afghan trucks through this trade route since the suspension. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, in a letter to Afghanistan Embassy in Islamabad on April 30 considered and honoured the request made by the Afghan side on 28 April 2025 regarding the containers stranded at different transit points in Pakistan. The ministry has the honour to inform that in view of the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Government of Pakistan has decided to permit stranded Afghan trucks, carrying goods in transit to India, which entered Pakistan before 25 April 2025, to cross Wagah border for delivering the goods, the letter reads further. The list of 150 trucks provided by the esteemed Embassy has been transmitted to the concerned authorities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Islamabad avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the esteemed Embassy the assurances of its highest consideration. Permission was granted to stranded trucks by Indian authorities after a formal request by Afghan authorities. It was learnt that Aghan Acting Foreign Minister also spoke with the Indian Foreign Minister in this regard. In response, India's Ministry of External Affairs facilitated the process, with the Deputy Commissioner of Customs at ICP Attari notifying the Assistant Director at the Land Customs Station in Wagah, Lahore, of the decision. The Indian government had approved the transit of stranded trucks and customs had made special arrangements to ensure the smooth passage of goods. Pakistan allowed Afghan stranded trucks to cross over Attari as a goodwill gesture to Kabul despite ongoing suspension of trade with India. Pakistan does not allow third-country transit trade via its territory, said an official at MoFA. India imposed the suspension of trade and closure of all land routes following Delhi's trade restrictions on April 24—measures that came two days after the Pahalgam terror attack, killing 26 tourists. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Gulf Today
01-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
Pakistan allows 150 stranded Afghan trucks to enter India via Wagah Border
Pakistan on Thursday allowed 150 stranded Afghan trucks carrying goods for India to cross the Wagah Border, easing a weeks-long bottleneck, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan said in a statement. A document shared by the foreign ministry, acknowledged a request made by the Afghan embassy in Islamabad on April 28 regarding containers stranded at different transit points in Pakistan. "The ministry has the honour to inform that in view of the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the government of Pakistan has decided to permit stranded Afghan trucks, carrying goods in transit to India, which entered Pakistan before April 25, 2025, to cross Wagah Border for delivering the goods. The list of 150 trucks provided by the esteemed embassy has been transmitted to the concerned authorities," the foreign ministry said. Details of other stranded trucks, if any, may also be cleared at the earliest, it added. Islamabad decided to halt trade with New Delhi - including to and from any third country via Pakistan — during the National Security Committee meeting on April 24. Trade between the two countries had already been suspended since February 2019, when New Delhi imposed steep duties on Pakistani imports after the Pulwama attack, which killed 40 Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir.
