The latest round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban in Istanbul has once again reached a deadlock, dealing a setback to the joint efforts aimed at ensuring peace and stability in the region. According to official sources, Pakistan participated in the negotiations mediated by Türkiye and Qatar with utmost seriousness and a clear position that verbal assurances from the Afghan authorities are no longer sufficient. Pakistan maintained that cooperation would only be possible if it were reciprocal, measurable, and enforceable, ensuring tangible progress toward the elimination of terrorism.
Pakistan’s core demand was clear, lawful, and fully in line with international norms and UN resolutions the elimination of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, the handover of their leadership, and written guarantees to that effect.
However, sources said the Afghan delegation, as in previous rounds, once again refused to take concrete steps in the final phase of the dialogue, making the success of the talks impossible. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly rejected the recent statement by Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, terming it misleading and politically motivated. The statement, the ministry said, mirrors India’s familiar propaganda narrative that seeks to distort Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns. In reality, the TTP’s leadership, training camps, and funding networks remain active and operational inside Afghanistan, the statement added.
“If the Afghan regime truly believes its territory is free of terrorist presence, it should have no objection to the establishment of a joint monitoring mechanism involving international observers and representatives from Türkiye or Qatar,” the ministry noted, emphasizing that such a step would help reveal the ground realities transparently.
Pakistan reaffirmed that it has always prioritized dialogue, regional cooperation, and peace, taking no hostile action against the Afghan people and continuing to host millions of Afghan refugees for decades as a gesture of brotherhood.
However, the statement underscored, Pakistan cannot compromise on the safety and security of its citizens. Having sacrificed thousands of lives in the fight against terrorism, Pakistan insists on practical steps—not mere statements to achieve lasting peace. True stability, it concluded, can only be realized when commitments are matched with concrete action.
