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Pakistan, Afghanistan Peace Talks Second Round Begins in Istanbul

By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD — The second round of peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan began in Istanbul on Saturday, with Islamabad seeking a verifiable mechanism to curb terrorism originating from Afghan soil, diplomatic sources confirmed, according to Geo News

The Istanbul meeting follows the first round of Pakistan-Afghanistan talks — mediated by Qatar and Turkiye — held in Doha on October 19, where both sides agreed to a ceasefire following deadly border clashes that left several people dead. However, cross-border trade between the two countries remains suspended.

The Afghan delegation is being led by Deputy Interior Minister Rahmatullah Mujib, while Pakistan’s team includes senior security and foreign ministry officials.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said on Friday that Islamabad is hopeful the Istanbul round will result in “a concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism” to counter terrorism threats emanating from Afghanistan.

“As a responsible state committed to regional peace and stability, Pakistan does not seek escalation but urges the Afghan Taliban authorities to honour their commitments to the international community and address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns by taking verifiable action against terrorist entities, including the FAK/TTP and FAH/BLA,” Andrabi stated.

He described the Doha talks as a “first step” toward regional peace, noting that they focused on ending cross-border terrorism and ensuring stability along the frontier. Andrabi further said that there had been no major terrorist attacks in Pakistan from Afghan territory in the past few days — a sign of progress from the initial round.

However, he confirmed that border crossings with Afghanistan would remain closed due to ongoing security concerns. “Protecting the lives of ordinary Pakistanis is more important than the movement of goods or trade,” he said.

The current dialogue aims to sustain the fragile calm achieved in Doha and pave the way for long-term regional stability.