- Taliban failed to honour Doha peace deal commitments.
- Pakistan appreciates Turkiye, Qatar mediation in negotiations.
- No support for Taliban actions against Afghan people.
Talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul reached a deadlock, Geo News reported on Friday, with Islamabad insisting that Kabul must take responsibility for controlling terrorism originating from its territory.
This development came after Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime kicked off the third round of talks in Istanbul on Thursday in an effort to ease escalating tensions following last month’s deadly border clashes.
The Istanbul meeting follows the earlier five-day talks that resulted in a last-minute interim agreement.
“Pakistan is thankful to brotherly countries of Turkiye and Qatar for mediation of talks; onus lies on Afghanistan to fulfil its long-standing international, regional and bilateral pledges, regarding control of terrorism, in which so far they have failed,” Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on X.
He emphasised Pakistan’s goodwill towards the Afghan people but warned against supporting any Taliban measures that harm Afghanistan or neighbouring countries.
“Pakistan does not harbour any ill-will against Afghan people. However, it shall never support the Afghan Taliban Regime’s any measures that are detrimental to the interest of Afghan people as well as the neighbouring countries,” Tarar said.
The minister added that Pakistan will continue to safeguard its citizens and sovereignty. “Pakistan shall continue to exercise all options necessary to safeguard the security of its people and its sovereignty,” he concluded.
Prior to this “deadlock”, the second round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime was held on October 25 in Istanbul, Turkiye.
The talks collapsed after Pakistan refused to accept the Taliban delegation’s “illogical” arguments and refusal to address Islamabad’s concerns regarding cross-border terrorism.
However, mediators persuaded Pakistan to give the talks another chance, which ultimately resulted in an agreement to uphold the ceasefire.
At the end of the previous round of talks, a joint statement issued by the Turkish foreign ministry stated that all parties had agreed to maintain the ceasefire and establish a monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure peace and penalise any violations.
