The third round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban is underway in Istanbul, but diplomatic sources say the discussions have entered a difficult phase as the Taliban side continues to resist signing a written agreement.
According to sources, Turkish National Intelligence chief and mediator İbrahim Kalın was also present during Monday’s session. The lack of flexibility from the Taliban delegation has further complicated the situation, raising doubts about the prospects of a breakthrough.
Over the weekend, the two sides held marathon sessions — nine hours on Saturday and more than thirteen hours on Sunday — without achieving any tangible results. During Sunday’s meeting, Pakistan reportedly presented its final position to the Afghan side.
Security officials quoted by Dawn News said the Pakistani delegation made it clear that Islamabad would not tolerate the Taliban’s continued patronage of terrorist groups. Pakistan insisted that concrete and verifiable measures must be taken to dismantle the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Officials further stated that the Taliban’s arguments appeared illogical and detached from ground realities, suggesting that Kabul’s representatives were pursuing “an agenda that serves neither Afghanistan’s stability nor that of the broader region.”
They added that any further progress in the Istanbul talks now depends on a change in the Taliban’s attitude and willingness to engage constructively.
