Pakistan, Afghanistan work to consolidate border peace Another round of talks underway in Istanbul

Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban are meeting in Istanbul today for a second round of bilateral talks focused on finalising a mechanism to monitor cross-border terrorism following a recent ceasefire.

According to Samaa.tv, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that no major terrorist attacks have occurred inside Afghanistan in the past few days, describing it as a “positive outcome” of the Doha agreement reached earlier this week.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said the ceasefire agreed in Doha has been “largely respected” and emphasised that “there has not been a single major terrorist attack from Afghan territory in Pakistan in the last two to three days.” He reiterated that Pakistan’s core expectation remains that Afghan territory should not be used to launch attacks against Pakistan.

Andrabi also noted that transit trade through Afghanistan remains closed and will continue to be suspended “until the security situation is reviewed.”

The Istanbul talks, hosted by Türkiye, aim to finalise a monitoring mechanism to oversee the ceasefire and prevent future violations.

The first round of discussions took place in Doha on October 18, mediated by Qatar and Türkiye, where Afghan and Pakistani representatives agreed on an immediate border ceasefire. A statement from the Qatari Foreign Ministry confirmed the agreement.

Both countries also agreed to collaborate on “establishing mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability” between them. Further consultations are expected in the coming days to maintain and fully implement the ceasefire.

The agreement was signed by Afghan Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid and Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, along with representatives from Qatar and Türkiye. The Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed hope that the deal would help “end tensions on the border between the two countries” and lay the groundwork for regional peace.

By Tamilla Hasanova