Islamabad [Pakistan]: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is scheduled to visit Beijing on Monday for high-level talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, according to ARY News. The visit is expected to coincide with the arrival of Afghanistan’s interim Foreign Minister Ameer Khan Muttaqi in China on May 20.
Citing sources, ARY News reported that Ishaq Dar will lead a delegation for bilateral talks with the Chinese leadership. Moreover, a trilateral meeting involving the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan is likely to be held during the visit.
The ministers are expected to deliberate on the current regional scenario, with particular emphasis on rising tensions between India and Pakistan. Other key areas of focus include mutual trade, regional security, and enhanced trilateral cooperation, the report said.
The diplomatic outreach follows a spike in cross-border hostilities in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead. In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Over 100 militants linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen were reportedly neutralised.
Following India’s offensive, Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement by initiating cross-border shelling and drone incursions along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border. In response, India launched coordinated strikes, crippling radar systems, communication hubs, and damaging 11 Pakistani airbases.
A mutual ceasefire was eventually agreed upon on May 10.
In an unusual admission, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Indian ballistic missiles had struck Nur Khan Airbase and other strategic locations on May 10. He added:
“Army Chief General Asim Munir informed him of the strikes at around 2:30 am.”