The third round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban aimed at curbing cross-border terrorism is scheduled to take place in Istanbul today, with hopes of achieving concrete progress toward lasting peace in the region.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that the Pakistani delegation has already departed for Istanbul to participate in the negotiations. He reiterated Pakistan’s consistent stance, stating, “Our demand is clear there should be no terrorism originating from Afghan soil. Dialogue only takes place when there is a possibility of progress; otherwise, it becomes a waste of time.”
Khawaja Asif added that Pakistan expects the Afghan Taliban to act prudently in the interest of regional stability, emphasizing that “Pakistan’s position remains unchanged: attacks on Pakistan from Afghan territory must stop.” According to diplomatic sources, the second round of the Istanbul negotiations is expected to finalize the mechanism for enforcing the ceasefire agreed upon earlier.
The BBC reported that the Taliban delegation includes the regime’s intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq, Deputy Interior Minister Rahmatullah Najib, Taliban ambassador in Doha Suhail Shaheen, Anas Haqqani, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, and other senior officials.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan had escalated following cross-border attacks launched from the Afghan side on the night of October 11. Subsequently, both countries reached a ceasefire agreement in Doha on October 19. With mediation efforts led by Türkiye and Qatar, both sides agreed to resume talks to prevent further hostilities.
The previous round of Pakistan-Afghanistan negotiations, held in Istanbul on October 25, was marked by intense and prolonged discussions but failed to achieve consensus on Pakistan’s single-point demand — the cessation of terrorism emanating from Afghan territory.
During those talks, the Afghan delegation reportedly sought repeated directives from Kabul and Kandahar, causing delays and frustration. Following the stalemate, the Pakistani team began preparations to return home but, at Türkiye’s request, agreed to stay and give dialogue “one final chance.”
According to a statement issued by Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides agreed to maintain the ceasefire, establish a monitoring and verification mechanism for peace implementation, and set punitive measures for violations. The parties also consented to hold high-level negotiations on November 6 in Istanbul to move the process forward.
