Delegates from China, Pakistan, and Iran convened in Beijing for a first-of-its-kind trilateral meeting. The meeting reportedly focused on regional security and the escalating threat of “terrorism”.
After returning to Islamabad, the Pakistani delegates confirmed discussing imminent terrorism threats and regional security issues but refrained from providing further details about the meeting.
Reports indicate that officials from the foreign ministries of China and Pakistan have decided to institutionalise the trilateral consultations on counter-terrorism and security. Further details on this arrangement are yet to be released.
Analysts suggest that the primary discussion point was the precarious security situation in Balochistan—a region vital to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project backed by Chinese investment. Analysts believe that the continuous unrest in Balochistan poses significant threats to the CPEC and other China-Pakistan joint ventures.
The local population views the shared projects between China and Pakistan in Balochistan as an exploitation of their resources, fuelling a backlash. This dissatisfaction has resulted in attacks on sites and individuals associated with the CPEC and similar projects, by pro-independence Baloch armed groups. The Baloch Liberation Army’s Majeed Brigade, known for their high-profile attacks involving self-sacrifice, has repeatedly drawn attention.