Can Russia help ease tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan?

Islamabad, Pakistan – Sitting with his elbows on his knees, Russia’s Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev leaned towards Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for talks in Rawalpindi on October 14.While Kolokoltsev was in Pakistan, Sergey Naryshkin, director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), flew into Kabul to meet the Taliban’s intelligence chief, Abdul Haq Wasiq.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4How much of a challenge are recurrent bombings for Pakistan?list 2 of 4Afghanistan vows to respond after Pakistani air strikes kill fourlist 3 of 4Afghanistan says 28 fighters killed as Islamabad, Kabul trade accusationslist 4 of 4Pakistan launches deadly air attacks on Afghanistanend of listOfficially, Russia, Pakistan and Afghanistan have issued little beyond standard statements about the meetings. But the signs are clear: Pakistan and Afghanistan have spent the past year exchanging fire and public threats. Qatar and Turkiye brokered a ceasefire in Doha last October and China hosted talks in Urumqi in April, but attacks inside Pakistan continued. Islamabad again struck Afghan territory in June, September and this month.Russia now appears to be step...