Pakistan and Afghanistan peace talks have reportedly reached a standstill, with Islamabad accusing the Taliban of adopting an “illogical and detached” position on key security concerns, particularly in areas of counter-terrorism cooperation, according to Pakistani media reports.
The second round of talks, held in Istanbul on Saturday, came a week after the initial negotiations in Doha. These discussions followed the October 16 ceasefire, which ended the deadliest clashes between the two sides since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.
What Pakistan Media Reported On Pakistan-Afghanistan Peace Talks
According to reports, Pakistan presented “clear, evidence-based and solution-oriented” demands to the Taliban, focusing on curbing cross-border militancy. However, the Taliban’s “inflexibility” and “illogical arguments” have reportedly raised serious concerns in Islamabad about the group’s willingness to cooperate.
Also Read: US-China Trade Deal: Major Shift Ahead Of Donald Trump-Xi Jinping Meeting | DETAILS
According to Radio Pakistan, the latest round of talks centered on creating a joint monitoring and oversight mechanism to curb militant movements across the border and to ease trade barriers. The discussions also explored the possibility of forging a long-term political understanding between the two nations.
Citing official sources, Geo News added that the “Taliban have remained unwilling to cooperate or acknowledge ground realities.”
Pakistan Issues Final Warning to Taliban
Turkey is reportedly acting as a mediator, urging the Taliban delegation to understand the gravity of Pakistan’s concerns. Islamabad has presented what it called its “final position,” warning that any shelter or tolerance for militants targeting Pakistani territory would be deemed unacceptable.
“Islamabad pressed the Taliban to take firm, verifiable action against terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil,” the report stated.
During the first phase of talks in Istanbul on October 19, Pakistan submitted a comprehensive counterterrorism plan to Kabul. The Afghan delegation responded around 2 a.m. on Sunday, as the second round of discussions resumed.
Pakistan Warns Of ‘Open War’ With Taliban
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned of an “all-out war” with the Taliban if peace efforts collapse. Speaking to reporters, Asif noted that there had been no border clashes over the past four to five days and that “around 80 percent” of the points agreed upon during the first round of talks in Doha were already being implemented.
Amid the diplomatic stalemate, US President Donald Trump has pledged to mediate and prevent the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan from escalating further.
Speaking during the signing of the Thailand-Cambodia peace deal on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, Trump said, “We’re averaging one (war) a month. There is only one left, although I heard that Pakistan and Afghanistan have started up. But I’ll get that solved very quickly. I know them both.
“And the Pakistan Field Marshal and the Prime Minister are great people, and I have no doubt we’re going to get that done quickly,” he added.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
