Pak, China, Russia and Iran reaffirm commitment to ‘stable and peaceful’ Afghanistan

Islamabad: Pakistan, China, Russia and Iran on Tuesday reaffirmed their joint commitment to a “stable and peaceful” Afghanistan, while also voicing concern over the presence of terrorists in the country.

The Quadrilateral Meeting of Special Representatives for Afghanistan, comprising the four nations, was convened in Moscow to deliberate on matters of regional peace and security, according to a statement by Pakistan’s special envoy to Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq. Sadiq, who is currently in Russia, said on X that they held detailed discussions that took place during the quadrilateral meeting.

“The participating states unanimously reaffirmed their steadfast commitment to a stable, sovereign, and peaceful Afghanistan, underscoring the necessity of a country free from the scourge of terrorism and external intervention,” he said.

“A particular point of concern was the continued presence of designated terrorist organisations, such as TTP, BLA, ETIM, Jaish-ul-adl, ISIL, and Al-Qaeda. In light of this shared threat, the nations emphasised the critical importance of enhanced coordination and collaborative action to combat terrorism in all its manifestations,” he added.

The meeting was held ahead of the 7th meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan later on Tuesday, where countries including India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are set to participate to discuss matters related to Afghanistan, as per the Russian ministry’s website.