ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have agreed to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan as part of broader efforts to enhance regional connectivity, officials from Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Thursday.
Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, Foreign Office representatives said Beijing was actively working to improve ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, describing current tensions between Islamabad and Kabul as temporary.
Officials said both Pakistan and China shared similar concerns regarding security conditions in Afghanistan, including the threat posed by cross-border militancy. They added that China had expressed particular interest in stability initiatives linked to regional trade routes.
The committee was told that expanding CPEC into Afghanistan would connect existing economic corridors with the Maritime Silk Road, strengthening trade flows across South and Central Asia.
Foreign Office officials also noted that regional cooperation frameworks such as SAARC remain stalled due to India’s stance, prompting Pakistan to deepen engagement with neighboring countries through alternative platforms.
Foreign Secretary-level officials informed lawmakers that Pakistan would not align itself with any single global bloc and aimed to maintain balanced diplomatic relations. They emphasized that counterterrorism remains a shared international challenge, adding that Pakistan continues joint military exercises with partner countries to curb militant movement across borders.
The briefing underscored Islamabad’s position that infrastructure development, economic integration and security cooperation are key pillars of long-term regional stability.
