Pakistan, Afghan Taliban to resume talks in Istanbul today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban are set to resume high-level negotiations in Istanbul on Thursday, aiming to address security concerns and cross-border militant activity.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that talks are pursued only when there is a possibility of progress. “If there is no chance of advancement, it’s merely a waste of time,” he remarked.

He reiterated Pakistan’s consistent stance that attacks on its territory from across the Afghan border must stop, expressing hope that the Taliban leadership would act wisely for the sake of regional peace.

The previous round of Pakistan-Afghan talks was held on October 25 in Istanbul. The lengthy and tense negotiations failed to yield results on Pakistan’s key demand — an end to terrorism originating from Afghan territory.

During the earlier session, the Afghan delegation reportedly kept seeking instructions from Kabul and Kandahar, delaying the process and causing frustration among participants. After the talks collapsed, the Pakistani delegation had departed for home but returned to Istanbul at Turkey’s request to give the dialogue one final chance.

According to a statement issued by Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides have agreed to maintain a ceasefire, establish a monitoring and verification mechanism for peace implementation, and introduce penalties for violations. The two parties will resume high-level discussions today, November 6, in Istanbul.