NATIONAL NEWS
ISTANBUL: The sixth round of peace negotiations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban on counterterrorism cooperation is expected to take place in Istanbul on Thursday (today).
Pakistan’s delegation has already arrived in Türkiye to participate in the crucial discussions aimed at easing tensions and reinforcing the recently established ceasefire framework.
Before the delegation’s departure, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reiterated Islamabad’s stance, stressing that “Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism.” He emphasized that Pakistan only engages in dialogue when there are prospects for meaningful progress, adding, “Otherwise, it’s simply a waste of time.”
Asif made it clear that attacks originating from Afghan territory must come to an end and expressed optimism that the Taliban would act prudently to promote peace and stability in the region.
According to diplomatic sources, both sides are expected to finalize a mechanism for implementing and monitoring the ceasefire agreement during today’s talks.
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained tense since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, with Pakistan witnessing a sharp rise in cross-border attacks. The situation further deteriorated after incidents on October 11, prompting retaliatory measures and heightened border tensions.
A ceasefire was later reached on October 19 in Doha following mediation efforts by Türkiye and Qatar. The two sides subsequently agreed to resume talks, with the second round also held in Istanbul on October 25. However, that round ended inconclusively as Pakistan’s demand to halt terrorist activities from Afghan soil remained unmet.
During those discussions, the Afghan delegation reportedly sought repeated guidance from leadership in Kabul and Kandahar. The talks nearly collapsed before Türkiye intervened, convincing the Pakistani team to return from the airport to give the process another chance.
A statement issued earlier by Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that both parties had agreed to uphold the ceasefire, establish a joint mechanism for monitoring violations, and impose penalties on those who breach the agreement. The statement also announced that the next high-level meeting would take place on November 6.
Defence Minister Asif, however, maintained that lasting peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan would remain elusive unless the Taliban government ceased its backing of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and put an end to cross-border infiltrations.
