ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to resume talks in Istanbul, a day after Pakistan announced that the previous round had collapsed without progress, security sources told WE News on Thursday.
Pakistan decided to stay back in Istanbul at the request of the hosts, rather than returning home as scheduled. “It has been decided to revive the negotiation process and give peace another chance,” the sources said.
The discussions will once again focus on Pakistan’s core demand that Afghanistan take clear, verifiable, and effective action against terrorist groups operating from its soil. Islamabad has reiterated that Afghan territory must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan, the sources added.
The peace talks — mediated by Türkiye and facilitated by Qatar — had collapsed on Tuesday, after the Afghan Taliban delegation refused to commit to action against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) network based in Afghanistan, which Islamabad identifies as its principal security threat.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that the latest round failed to produce a breakthrough on curbing cross-border infiltration and preventing attacks on Pakistani security forces.
Focus on Cross-Border Security and Ceasefire
Officials said the negotiations were aimed at ensuring that the October 19 ceasefire, agreed earlier in Doha, remained intact and evolved into a durable mechanism to prevent cross-border terrorism.
However, despite marathon sessions, the Afghan side failed to offer a clear or encouraging response, according to Pakistani officials familiar with the talks. They described Islamabad’s position as “logical, firm, and based on mutual interest,” emphasizing that the patronage or tolerance of any terrorist group — particularly the TTP — was unacceptable.
Pakistan Warns Against Repeating ‘Historic Mistake’
Since the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021, Pakistan has experienced a surge in militant attacks traced to Afghan territory. Analysts say the TTP’s operational networks have regrouped and expanded under Taliban patronage, targeting civilians, security personnel, and border posts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Officials have warned that the Afghan Taliban risk repeating the historic mistake of the 1990s, when their protection of al-Qaeda led to catastrophic consequences — including foreign invasion and two decades of war. “Harboring the TTP now could isolate Kabul once again,” one official cautioned.
A Persistent Security Dilemma
Academic assessments suggest that the TTP’s resurgence between 2021 and 2024 has been enabled by the Taliban regime’s reluctance to confront ideologically aligned groups. This resurgence has included frequent cross-border infiltrations, ambushes, and the use of Afghan territory as a haven — raising serious national security concerns in Islamabad.
Pakistani officials maintain that their military operations are retaliatory, conducted in response to attacks launched from Afghan soil. “Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty but expects the same in return — by ensuring its territory is not used to destabilize Pakistan,” one security official said.
Türkiye and Qatar will continue facilitating dialogue between the two neighbors. Officials say the next round of talks will focus on establishing a verifiable framework for counterterrorism cooperation and preventing further violations of the ceasefire.
