Peace on Durrand

April 02, 2026

Newspaper, Opinions, Editorials

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Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s visit to China is already yielding dividends on multiple fronts. Even as Pakistan engages Beijing on shaping a broader Middle Eastern security framework, it has also moved to revive the trilateral mechanism with China and Afghanistan. This is a necessary and timely step toward stabilising a region that remains deeply volatile.

Pakistan’s position has been consistent: there will be no tolerance for cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghan soil. Beyond this core concern, however, Islamabad holds no territorial ambitions or wider hostility towards Afghanistan. It does not seek regime change, nor the destruction of infrastructure. Its objective is singular, that attacks against Pakistan must stop. In that context, the renewed push for dialogue reflects strategic clarity rather than concession. Pakistan is pairing firm red lines with credible incentives, including confidence-building measures such as reopening trade routes and facilitating transit through border crossings.

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While no immediate agreement is expected, this engagement should be seen as a first step toward a more structured renegotiation with the Afghan administration. The difference this time is the context. There is now an implicit understanding that continued inaction on militant sanctuaries may invite a more forceful response from Pakistan. Diplomacy is thus being pursued alongside clear signalling of consequences.

Yet formal diplomacy alone will not suffice. A parallel track rooted in the ethnolinguistic realities of the region must also be activated. The Pashtun jirga system has historically provided a legitimate and effective forum for conflict resolution. Reinvigorating such mechanisms can open channels that formal statecraft often cannot.

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Pakistan must proceed on both fronts: structured diplomacy backed by China and informal engagement through traditional systems. This dual approach offers the best chance of reducing tensions. However, caution must remain. The killing of 13 terrorists in intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the same day as these developments is a stark reminder that the threat persists. Peace must be pursued, but vigilance cannot be relaxed.

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