Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to maintain ceasefire: Türkiye

Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to continue their ceasefire following a new round of talks held in Istanbul under the mediation of Türkiye and Qatar, according to a joint statement issued by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

“The meetings, held from October 25 to 30 in Istanbul, aimed to consolidate the ceasefire that both sides had agreed upon earlier this month during discussions in Doha,” the statement said.

All parties reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining the ceasefire and decided to discuss further modalities of implementation at a principal-level meeting scheduled for November 6 in Istanbul.

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The statement said the sides had also agreed to establish a monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure the maintenance of peace and impose penalties on any party found in violation.

As mediators, Türkiye and Qatar expressed appreciation for the active contributions of both Afghanistan and Pakistan and reiterated their readiness to continue facilitating cooperation between the two sides for lasting peace and stability.

The development comes hours after Pakistan agreed to continue peace talks at the request of the host country and Afghanistan, state media reported, citing security sources on Thursday.

According to Pakistan Television (PTV), the Pakistani delegation, which had been preparing to return home, would now extend its stay in Istanbul to continue the dialogue process. “Pakistan’s decision to resume talks aims to give peace another chance and restore an atmosphere of trust in the region,” they said.

According to the sources, the central and long-standing focus of the discussions is Pakistan’s demand that Afghanistan prevent its territory from being used for terrorism against Pakistan and take clear, verifiable, and effective action against terrorist elements.

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Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated on Wednesday that the four-day discussions did not lead to an agreement on any viable solution, with the Afghan delegation attempting to shift focus away from the core issue.

He said the Afghan delegation used “blame-shifting, delaying tactics, and excuses,” while Pakistan presented solid evidence of terrorism, which he said the Afghan Taliban and the host countries acknowledged.

“Pakistan has always negotiated with the intent of peace, but unfortunately, the Afghan Taliban government is constantly aiding anti-Pakistan terrorists,” Tarar said, adding that Pakistan would take every possible step to protect its citizens.