Official: Afghanistan, Pakistan agree to follow-up talks in Istanbul

Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to hold a follow-up meeting to address unresolved issues, following talks in Istanbul mediated by Türkiye and Qatar.

According to Caliber.Az, the announcement was made by Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Afghan government, on X. 

Mujahid summarised the meetings, which took place between October 25 and 30, emphasising that the goal was to foster mutually respectful relations based on trust and to avoid interference in each other’s internal affairs.

“The Istanbul talks, which were inherently complex, concluded with both sides agreeing to meet again to discuss the issues that remain unresolved,” Mujahid said. He also expressed gratitude to Türkiye and Qatar for their mediation efforts.

The negotiations come after heightened tensions between the two neighbours following border clashes on October 15. A 48-hour ceasefire was initially declared and, with the support of Türkiye and Qatar, extended until the conclusion of talks in Doha, Qatar’s capital.

The Doha discussions, held under the direction of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, included the head of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organisation (MİT), İbrahim Kalın. The main topics were extending the existing truce and addressing recent border incidents.

Following 14 hours of deliberations in Doha, it was agreed that a technical committee would meet in Istanbul to work out the details of the ceasefire. 

By Aghakazim Guliyev