DOHA: Afghan Taliban’s Qatar-based ambassador, Suhail Shaheen, has called for a new round of talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan after the unproductive negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey.
The second round of talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan was held over four days in Istanbul but no breakthrough was achieved. Pakistan brought up proofs and insisted on getting guarantees from the Afghan side to stop the cross-border terrorism but the Afghan delegation denied giving such assurances and thus the talks were aborted.
Talking to the reporters, Suhail Shaheen stated, “No negotiation of this kind can reach an end in one meeting or round. Both sides have to keep the talks to be able to come to a real deal.”
The negotiations did not lead to a final agreement, he called for new talks to solve the issues that were still unresolved. Taliban maintaining diplomatic talks with Pakistan as very important despite the impasse is what Shaheen’s statement indicates.
Additionally, Pakistan has assured that it will persist in its rigorous measures against the militants and their facilitators, and that the army will keep on performing operations against those who will threaten from the other side of the border.
The Istanbul negotiations were a move in the gradual work aimed at improving relations between the two neighbors and settling security issues on their border share.
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Yesterday, Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, has said that Pakistan’s recent diplomatic engagement with the Afghan Taliban has failed to yield any meaningful results, as Kabul refused to take decisive action against the terrorist organizations operating within its borders.
According to the minister, the talks in Doha and Istanbul over the last four days were an attempt to find solutions to the problem of cross-border terrorism that is mainly caused by a TTP faction and the Baloch Liberation Army. Both groups have allegedly been facilitated and supported by some elements in Afghanistan, as per the statements coming from Pakistan.
The talks were opened by Qatar and Turkey, with both countries saying that they backed Afghanistan’s bid to take concerted actions to end the practice of using the country for training and supplying the terrorists. But the Kabul side, despite Pakistan’s presentation of incontrovertible evidence, including cross-border attacks, remained elusive and did not offer any substantive assurances or commitments.
Sharing his views on X social media, Tarar seemed very disappointed that the Afghan Taliban failed to recognize their obligation to fight those terrorists.
Update on Pakistan – Afghanistan Dialogue, Istanbul – October 2025
Ever since the assumption of control in Kabul, Pakistan has repeatedly engaged with the Afghan Taliban Regime regarding persistent cross border terrorism by Indian-abetted Fitna al Khwarij (TTP) and Indian proxy,…
— Attaullah Tarar (@TararAttaullah) October 28, 2025
“When confronted with Pakistan’s demand for action against these groups, the Taliban in Afghanistan not only agreed but also blamed others while they were deflecting and engaged in blame games instead of taking responsibility,” he claimed.
While Pakistan has been perennially advocating peace talks, the Taliban regime in Kabul has been facilitating the likes of the TTP and BLA. It is noteworthy that the two groups have been accused of receiving Indian support by Pakistan. For a long time, Pakistan has been demanding that Kabul comply with the Doha Agreement under which the parties promised not to meddle in border terrorism. But, still, the intervention of the government has gone unnoticed.
The Pakistan federal government has made it clear that national security and the well-being of the people are its top priorities. “The official statement reads, “After a period of four years marked by suffering and losses, the patience of Pakistan is now at an end. “We shall remain committed to doing whatever it takes to keep our people safe from the evil of terrorism.”
So far, the officials in Pakistan have hinted that Kabul’s inaction will prompt them to Pakistan to step up their efforts against terrorism, to include military and intelligence operations in areas where terrorist sanctuaries are located. The Pakistani government, on its part, has made a solemn promise to dismantle the TTP, BLA, and any such communal supporters wherever they may be and whomever they may be.
Although the talks with the Afghan Taliban came to naught, Pakistan warmly commended Qatar and Turkey for their efforts in facilitating the talks and providing a forum for the discussions.
“We extend our thanks to the governments of Qatar and Turkey for their earnest attempts and support in smoothening the way for this dialogue,” the Minister said. “We also value their work in persuading the Taliban in Afghanistan to refrain from using terrorist proxies as bargaining chips against Pakistan.”
The breakdown of these talks is an indication that the situation in Afghanistan remains volatile and that has direct consequences for the security of Pakistan and the rest of the region. The militarization of Afghanistan has been a primary method for the anti-Pakistan terrorists to stage their activities and the authorities in Islamabad have been facing the consequences of it in terms of loss of life, hundreds of them, over the years. This issue is a serious test for the government of Pakistan and an international concern too. The voices asking for the cross-border terrorism fight to be continuous have multiplied.
The government of Pakistan is adamant in its stand to continue protecting its citizens even if the militants have to be responsible for it. To date, the diplomatic approach has not been very fruitful but Pakistan has declared that it will not think twice if it has to use the complete range of measures up to the very harshest ones to ensure the security and stability of the country.
