Pakistan officials and members of the Afghan Taliban have reported some progress in the ongoing peace talks, with US President Donald Trump once again offering to help resolve the crisis between the two nations.
Islamabad and Kabul agreed to a ceasefire in Doha on October 19, days after border clashes that killed dozens on both sides. The second round of peace negotiations mediated by the Turkish government aims to end all hostilities, with a focus on tackling terrorism and securing the border.
Pakistan has accused the Taliban of not cooperating with dialogue while leaving the border open for terrorists to infiltrate into Pakistan. “The Pakistani delegation has made it clear that no compromise is possible on the core demands on cross-border terrorism,” sources said.
The Taliban, on the other hand, has rebuked the claims, suggesting that peace talks were still in progress. “Overall, the meeting is going well and both sides discussed multiple issues in a friendly environment,” the sources claimed.
In his latest comments on the matter, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said, “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan supports dialogue and believes that problems and issues can be resolved through dialogue.” The peace talks between two unfriendly neighbours entered the fourth day on Tuesday in Istanbul, officials said.
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On Monday, the Pakistani army said it killed 25 terrorists while repelling two back-to-back infiltration attempts along the border, even when the talks were being held. The army officials said that at least five of their soldiers have also been killed in the twin attacks that unfolded near the Afghan border on Sunday night.
The officials said Pakistan also expects Kabul to take “concrete and verifiable” action against the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has stepped up cross-border attacks and violence since the Taliban seized power in 2021.
The officials said Turkey, as the host nation, is striving to keep the discussions “productive, fruitful and result-oriented”. They said Pakistan had shared solid evidence with the Afghan side about the cross-border attacks by Pakistani Taliban originating from Afghan soil.
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