The second round of peace talks between delegations from Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban concluded in Istanbul, Turkey, with Pakistan presenting its final and firm position on cross-border terrorism and regional stability.
According sources, the Pakistani delegation made it categorically clear during the discussions that Islamabad will not tolerate any form of support or shelter provided to terrorist elements by the Afghan side. The delegation emphasized that decisive and verifiable actions must be taken to dismantle the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which continues to pose a grave threat to Pakistan’s national security.
Sources reported that while Pakistan’s stance was grounded in facts and security imperatives, the Afghan Taliban delegation’s responses appeared inconsistent and disconnected from ground realities, indicating that Kabul might be pursuing an agenda misaligned with the peace and stability of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the broader region.
Officials underscored that further progress in the ongoing dialogue will depend entirely on the Afghan Taliban’s constructive engagement and fulfillment of their commitments.The Istanbul session, held at a local hotel, began at 2:30 p.m. on October 25 and continued for more than nine hours. Talks resumed today under the supervision of mediators, with both sides exchanging revised proposals in response to each other’s previous submissions.
Diplomatic sources revealed that the Afghan side had offered to relocate TTP elements to new areas inside Afghanistan, but Pakistan firmly rejected the proposal, reiterating that only concrete counterterrorism measures—not relocation—would be acceptable. Pakistan further urged the Taliban authorities to honor the commitments they made to the international community regarding counterterrorism.
These talks follow the first round of negotiations held in Doha, Qatar, on October 18–19, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, where both sides agreed to an immediate ceasefire after a week of intense and deadly border clashes.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office earlier clarified that Islamabad seeks peace, not confrontation, but demanded that the Taliban government fulfill its obligations to prevent terrorist groups such as the TTP and Fitna-tul-Hindustan from using Afghan soil for attacks against Pakistan.
In a recent interview, Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, reaffirmed that all parties Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Qatar had signed an agreement prohibiting border incursions. “As long as that agreement remains respected, the ceasefire will hold,” he said.
Minister Asif reiterated that the TTP continues to launch attacks from Afghan territory with the tacit support of the Taliban, though Kabul has denied such allegations. He added that the central aim of the ceasefire agreement is to eliminate the threat of terrorism, which has plagued the Pakistan-Afghanistan border for years.
The recent escalation along the 2,600-kilometer-long contested border began earlier this month when Taliban forces opened fire on Pakistani positions, prompting a robust retaliatory response from Pakistan’s Air Force. The counteroffensive reportedly targeted TTP positions in Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktika, Khost, and Helmand provinces, resulting in significant Taliban casualties.
Following these operations, the Taliban government urgently requested a ceasefire, leading Pakistan to announce a temporary 48-hour truce on October 15, later extended to facilitate peace talks.Pakistan remains committed to a peaceful and stable region, but insists that this goal can only be achieved if the Afghan authorities act decisively against terrorist sanctuaries and honor their international obligations.
