The third round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban in Istanbul has ended without any breakthrough, with both sides failing once again to bridge their differences.
Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar, in a statement posted on social media, reaffirmed Pakistan’s principled position that responsibility for cross-border terrorism originating from Afghan soil lies squarely with the authorities in Kabul.
Tarar said the Afghan Taliban have so far failed to fulfil their international, regional, and bilateral commitments under the Doha Peace Agreement. He added that while Pakistan continues to maintain goodwill toward the Afghan people and desires a peaceful future for them, it cannot support any actions by the Taliban government that are not in the interest of Afghanistan’s citizens or its neighbours.
The minister emphasised that Pakistan will continue taking all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people. He also thanked Türkiye and Qatar for their role in facilitating the ongoing negotiations.
It is worth noting that the Istanbul round marked the third phase of Pakistan-Afghanistan talks, which began on Thursday. Discussions reportedly focused on drafting a monitoring mechanism to prevent cross-border terrorism, but no consensus or concrete progress was achieved.
