Nepal, June 19 -- On May 21, Foreign Ministers Wang Yi of China, Ishaq Dar of Pakistan and Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaki of Afghanistan met in Beijing. This was a breakthrough for Pakistan, whose relationship with the Taliban had deteriorated over several issues, including the presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan, cross-border raids, and the expulsion of undocumented Afghan refugees from Pakistan in retaliation for the Taliban's inaction against TTP.

Parallel to the deterioration of Pakistan's relations with the Taliban was the latter's outreach to India, which has a keen interest in cultivating the Afghanistan interim regime. India's Foreign Secretary visited Afghanistan in January this year, marking a new beginning. ...