Pakistan is holding talks with Afghanistan to end the worst conflict between the South Asian neighbours since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.
The talks in the northwestern Chinese city of Urumqi were being held between senior officials of the two countries, the spokesperson said.
China has been trying to mediate a negotiated settlement to the conflict between the allies-turned-foes that share a 2,600-km (1,600-mile) border. The fighting, that began last October, has killed scores of people on both sides.
The talks will focus on a potential ceasefire and on the reopening of border crossings to allow trade and travel, Reuters reported on Wednesday citing sources.
"Our efforts for talks will continue despite the problems that will keep coming, " the Pakistani spokesperson told a regular media briefing.
Pakistan appreciates China's role as an important global player and the efforts were mutually supplementary, he said.
Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of harbouring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants, also called the Pakistani Taliban, who it says are waging an insurgency inside Pakistan.
The Afghan Taliban denies the accusation, saying the militancy is Pakistan's domestic problem.
Four sources in Pakistan and Kabul said that the talks will focus on a potential ceasefire and on the reopening of border crossings to allow trade and travel, adding that the new round of talks was a Chinese initiative.
"Our top leadership agreed with them and decided to participate in the process," a Taliban leader in Kabul said.
The four spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to disclose the information, saying the talks involved mid-level officials.
Meanwhile, both sides traded heavy fire this week after a temporary ceasefire along their border.
The pause in hostilities was announced for the Islamic festival of Eid al-Fitr, and was also requested by Türkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which Islamabad ended last week, saying it was responding to an attack from the Afghan side.
Kabul said more than 400 people were killed in a Pakistani air strike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul last month before the neighbours suspended the fighting. A Reuters reporter counted more than 100 bodies at one hospital after the air strike.
Pakistan has rejected the Taliban's statements about the strike, saying it "precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure".
The new round of talks coincides with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar's visit to Beijing to seek Chinese support for Islamabad's initiative to broker a peace deal between the U.S. and Iran.
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