By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD— Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that peace talks with the Afghan Taliban regime are continuing in Istanbul under the mediation of Türkiye and Qatar, as Islamabad reiterated its evidence-based demands to end cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghan soil.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi told reporters that Pakistan’s delegation — led by the Director General of ISI and accompanied by the Additional Foreign Secretary for Afghanistan and West Asia — presented “empirical, verifiable information” on the presence and activities of Fitna al Khwarij militants in Afghanistan.

“The demand is simple — these infiltrators must not be allowed to operate from Afghan soil and kill innocent Pakistanis. A verifiable monitoring mechanism must be created,” Andrabi said, adding that both mediators had endorsed Pakistan’s stance based on the evidence provided.

He dismissed speculation on social media regarding the talks as “deliberate disinformation,” emphasizing that discussions were ongoing and that it was premature to declare any deadlock.

Responding to a question, Andrabi reaffirmed that Pakistan’s armed forces remain in a state of readiness amid “war-mongering” statements from India. “As our faith instructs, we must keep our power and defenses prepared. Our military preparedness is robust, and our leadership is fully geared to defend the country’s sovereignty,” he said.

On remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump—who recently stated that “eight beautiful Indian jets” were shot down during the Pakistan-India conflict earlier this year—the spokesperson said, “Whether six, seven, or eight, the fact remains that India’s act of aggression was repulsed. That is the real message.” He added that President Trump had played “a positive role” in helping de-escalate the conflict.

The spokesperson also rejected Indian media allegations that members of the Hindu community were denied entry into Pakistan for Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary celebrations, terming them “baseless and mischievous.”

Meanwhile, Andrabi condemned the recent Israeli aggression in Gaza and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the Arab-Islamic Gaza Peace Initiative, noting that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar attended the coordination meeting in Istanbul earlier this week.

On regional diplomacy, the Foreign Office said President Asif Ali Zardari had raised the Kashmir dispute and India’s violation of the Indus Waters Treaty during his address at the World Summit for Social Development in Doha, while urging global cooperation for peace, justice, and equality.

As the Istanbul peace talks continue, Pakistan maintains that it seeks a verifiable mechanism to halt cross-border terrorism — but warns that it remains fully prepared to safeguard its borders and respond decisively to any aggression, whether from the east or the west.