Pakistan, China, Afghanistan foreign ministers to meet in Kabul on Aug 20

• Wang Yi, Ishaq Dar, and Amir Khan Muttaqi to meet in Kabul.
• UNSC permission denial delayed Muttaqi’s earlier Pakistan visit.
• Wang Yi expected in Pakistan after Kabul talks.

ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China will meet in Kabul on August 20 for trilateral talks, sources told Geo News on Thursday.

The meeting will bring together Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

The sources said the agenda will include discussions on counterterrorism efforts and the expansion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Earlier this month, Afghanistan’s Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was scheduled to visit Pakistan on August 5. However, both countries later issued statements citing “technical” reasons for the cancellation.

It has since emerged that the UN Security Council did not grant permission for the visit, as Muttaqi remains on the UN-designated list of Taliban members.

Following the Kabul meeting, the Chinese foreign minister is expected to travel to Pakistan the next day, the sources said.