KEY POINTS
- US President says crisis “can be solved very quickly” amid extended Istanbul round
- Pakistan presses Kabul for verifiable counterterrorism mechanism
- Ceasefire from Doha talks holding, diplomats cite cautious optimism
- Turkish, Qatari channels facilitating continuation of high-stakes dialogue
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: US President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Sunday over the ongoing peace dialogue between Pakistan and the Taliban-led interim government of Afghanistan, saying he believes the regional conflict “can be solved very quickly” if both sides remain engaged.
Washington believes the regional crisis “can be solved very quickly” if both sides stay engaged, Trump was quoted as saying on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, when asked for a comment on the Istanbul talks between Pakistan and the Interim Afghan government.
Trump told reporters that Pakistan’s leadership was “great” and that the US “wants stability and cooperation between the neighbours,” Associated Press (AP).
His remarks came as the Istanbul round of talks, described by diplomats as crucial for regional security, were underway on their second day and were most likely to continue for a third day, as well.
According to Arab News and Dunya News, the Pakistan–Afghanistan negotiations, which began on Saturday, have now been extended beyond their original schedule.
The dialogue marks a continuation of the Doha truce talks held earlier this month and seeks to establish a verifiable counterterrorism and border monitoring mechanism.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, ahead of the talks, cautioned that Islamabad’s patience was “not limitless,” warning that “open war remains an option if diplomacy fails.”
Officials told Dawn that Pakistan is demanding concrete action against militant sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, while Kabul’s delegation has urged Pakistan to reopen trade crossings and relax border restrictions.
Diplomatic sources in Ankara told Pakistan Today that discussions have remained “constructive” but “highly technical,” focusing on establishing a joint verification framework and enhancing real-time intelligence sharing.
The Doha cease-fire, brokered on October 18–19, remains “by and large intact,” with no major cross-border attacks reported, according to AP and Reuters.
Analysts say this continuing calm provides the necessary window to test whether the Istanbul process can evolve into a long-term peace channel.
Regional observers have noted the significance of US interest in the talks, referring to Washington’s statement that reflects a broader international recognition that Pakistan’s western border stability is central to counterterrorism and trade routes across South and Central Asia.
Looking Ahead
If the Istanbul talks produce a verifiable security framework, Pakistan could partially reopen cross-border trade and deepen cooperation in humanitarian and refugee management.
Failure, however, could undo weeks of de-escalation and push both sides back toward confrontation, a prospect both Islamabad and Kabul insist they want to avoid.
