Pakistan condemns Taliban aggression and seeks peaceful solution amid tensions

ISLAMABAD/PAKISTAN:

Turkish and Qatari mediators continue talks with the Afghan Taliban delegation on Pakistan’s demands to end cross-border terrorism, as efforts intensify to reach an agreement before the planned conclusion of ongoing talks.

At the weekly press briefing on October 17, 2025, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Pakistan had presented its case to the mediators “in a comprehensive, logical and evidence-based manner.”

The two-day talks, held with restricted media access at Istanbul’s Conrad Hotel, are the third round of engagement between Islamabad and Kabul following last month’s deadly border clashes. Intelligence chiefs from both countries are leading their sides, with talks aimed at establishing a framework to monitor and verify counterterrorism commitments.

Read: Marathon talks in Istanbul seek to break deadlock

“The Pakistani delegation has submitted its logical, justified and evidence-based demands to the mediators with the singular objective of ending cross-border terrorism,” Andrabi said.

“The mediators fully supported Pakistan’s position based on the evidence provided by us as well as the principles of international law and principles.”

He added that the mediators were discussing Pakistan’s demands point by point with the Afghan delegation. The sources described the progress as “encouraging,” although reaching an agreement on implementing verifiable measures against terrorist groups remains elusive, and officials said talks could be extended if necessary.

Border clashes and previous rounds of talks

The current round follows weeks of shuttle diplomacy after border clashes between October 11 and 15, which brought relations to their lowest point since the Taliban took power in 2021. Hostilities began when militants reportedly attacked Pakistan from Afghanistan on October 11, following Taliban accusations of Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory.

After the initial skirmish, multiple clashes occurred along the border, including attacks on camps in Afghanistan. A 48-hour ceasefire was agreed on October 15, paving the way for dialogue. During a brief exchange of fire at the Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing, two people, including a woman, were killed, testing the fragile truce.

Pakistan had pressured the Afghan Taliban to disassociate themselves from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and take concrete steps against anti-Pakistan elements operating from Afghan territory.

Islamabad has sought a clear decree from Kabul, explicitly pledging to distance itself from the TTP. Mediators are reportedly working toward a balanced understanding, with potential areas of convergence including counterterrorism cooperation and border security protocols, although mistrust and Kabul’s ambiguous stance on the TTP continue to pose challenges.

Read more: Decisive or decisive talks: Pakistan and Afghan Taliban to meet in Istanbul today

Since the clashes, representatives of Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have held two rounds of pre-talks, first in Doha and then in Istanbul. While temporary ceasefires were maintained, a final agreement has not been reached.

After the second round, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar tweeted on October 29 that the talks “failed to achieve any viable solution,” adding that Pakistan would continue to protect its citizens from terrorism.

Mediators from Turkey and Qatar intervened, issuing a joint statement on October 31, saying that “other implementation modalities will be discussed and decided” during a top-level meeting in Istanbul on November 6. The delegations arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday for the third round, which began yesterday, surviving the brief cross-border outbreak.

In an earlier briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs rejected the comments of the acting Afghan Foreign Minister during his visit to India, calling them an attempt to divert attention from terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil. The spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan’s border operations in October were defensive, targeting militant infrastructure only, and noted that the 48-hour ceasefire starting October 15 had allowed room for dialogue.

The FO also criticized the references to Jammu and Kashmir in the India-Afghanistan joint statement of October 10, calling them “a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and an affront to the sacrifices of the people of Kashmir”. The spokesperson recalled that Pakistan has hosted almost four million Afghan refugees for decades, while reaffirming its vision of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.