ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – The second round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban will be held Thursday in Istanbul as per schedule, with Pakistan expected to emphasize the elimination of terrorism originating from Afghan soil.
According to sources, both sides will meet under the agreed timetable, and the upcoming round is likely to finalize the mechanism for enforcing the ceasefire.
Sources said that if the Afghan Taliban delegation includes a senior minister, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will also travel to Istanbul. The final composition and leadership of the Pakistani delegation will depend on the level of representation from the Afghan side, while the National Security Adviser will also be part of the Pakistani team.
Pakistan will deliver a clear message that Afghan territory must not be used for any acts of terrorism against Pakistan, the sources added.
Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, with the mediation of Türkiye and Qatar, had earlier agreed in Istanbul to maintain the ceasefire. Both sides decided to establish a verification mechanism to oversee compliance and impose penalties on the party responsible for any violations.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan had escalated after cross-border attacks from Afghan territory on October 11. Subsequently, both sides reached a ceasefire agreement in Doha on October 19, which paved the way for renewed dialogue through the diplomatic efforts of Türkiye and Qatar.
In the second round of Istanbul talks, both delegations are expected to finalize the detailed terms and conditions of the ceasefire, potentially opening a new chapter of stability and border peace between the two neighboring countries.
The joint communiqué from the first Istanbul meeting, released by Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that both sides had agreed to sustain the ceasefire and would finalize its enforcement framework in the next round of talks on November 6.