Istanbul talks: Pakistan holds firm, demands end to cross-border militant attacks

ISTANBUL: Pakistani negotiators and representatives of the Afghan Taliban reconvened on Sunday for the second day of talks in Istanbul, marking the continuation of a new round of dialogue aimed at easing tensions and restoring stability along the border.

The discussions follow a truce brokered last weekend in Doha through the mediation of Qatar and Turkey, though the terms of that temporary agreement remain unclear.

In Istanbul, negotiators were expected to finalize the “mechanisms” agreed in Doha to ensure lasting peace and prevent cross-border attacks.

According to diplomatic sources, the Taliban delegation presented a draft proposal to Pakistan late Saturday night, outlining a framework for a bilateral ceasefire and the creation of a four-party oversight mechanism to monitor compliance and facilitate intelligence sharing between the two sides.

Islamabad, in turn, submitted its detailed proposal Sunday morning after reviewing the Taliban’s draft. Pakistan’s delegation pressed Kabul to take concrete action against the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil.

Islamabad demanded that the Taliban authorities “regain control” over TTP fighters present on Afghan soil and dismantling terrorist sanctuaries.

“Pakistan has demanded verifiable guarantees that Afghan territory will not be used for attacks against Pakistan,” a diplomatic source said.

The Taliban’s proposal reportedly includes commitments to mutual non-interference and respect for sovereignty, while Pakistan’s response emphasized the need for a credible monitoring and verification mechanism to track ceasefire violations.