Copyright pakobserver
ISTANBUL – Pakistan has presented its final position to the Afghan Taliban delegation during the second round of talks held in Istanbul, emphasizing that Islamabad will not tolerate any form of support or shelter for terrorists. Reports said the Pakistani delegation made it clear that concrete and irreversible action must be taken against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Officials noted that Pakistan’s stance was firm and based on ground realities, while the Afghan Taliban’s arguments were described as “illogical” and inconsistent with the facts on the ground. They further stated that it appears the Afghan Taliban are pursuing an agenda that does not align with the stability of Afghanistan, Pakistan, or the broader region. Progress in the talks, they said, now depends on the Taliban’s willingness to adopt a constructive approach. The second round of discussions began on October 25 at a local hotel in Istanbul, starting at 2:30 p.m. and continuing for more than nine hours. Negotiations resumed the following day in the presence of mediators, with both sides exchanging new proposals in response to each other’s earlier suggestions. Diplomatic sources revealed that during the talks, the Afghan Taliban proposed relocating TTP members to new areas within Afghanistan, away from the Pakistani border — an offer Pakistan categorically rejected. Instead, Pakistan reiterated its demand for the Taliban to take decisive military action against the TTP and to honor commitments made to the international community. The Istanbul dialogue follows a first round of talks held in Doha, Qatar, on October 18–19, facilitated by Qatari and Turkish mediators. Those discussions led to an agreement on an immediate ceasefire following a week of intense cross-border clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces. Both sides had also agreed to hold follow-up meetings to ensure the ceasefire’s continuity and establish a reliable monitoring mechanism.
