Second Round of Taliban-Pakistan Talks Concludes in Istanbul

Strengthening security coordination, improving border cooperation, and developing a joint strategy to promote peace and stability in the region were other topics of discussion.

The Express Tribune, quoting informed sources, wrote that the aim of these talks is to reach an agreement on mechanisms that can solve border security challenges and prevent terrorist activities.

The negotiations were held behind closed doors and without the presence of the media. Turkey and the negotiators of both sides have not yet released details about the agenda of the talks.

Sources told Afghanistan International that the six-member Taliban delegation, led by Rahmatullah Najib and including Sohail Shaheen and Anas Haqqani, participated in the Istanbul talks.

The second round of talks between the Taliban and Pakistan officially began on Saturday, Aqrab 3, in Istanbul.

Sources from Kabul told Afghanistan International that the six-member Taliban delegation includes Rahmatullah Najib, Deputy Minister of Interior, Sohail Shaheen, the Taliban’s representative in Qatar, Anas Haqqani, a well-known member of the Taliban, Noor Ahmad Noor, the first political head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Noor Al-Rahman Nusrat, the head of operations of the Ministry of Defense, and Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the spokesman of the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The seven-member Pakistani delegation, consisting of diplomats and members of the country’s intelligence organization, is present at the Istanbul talks.

According to sources, the talks between the two sides were held at the Conrad Hotel in Istanbul.

Turkish police have taken strict security measures at the venue of the talks.

No details of the agenda of the talks have been released yet.

The Istanbul talks are a continuation of the meeting of the Defense Ministers of the Taliban and Pakistan in Qatar, which resulted in a ceasefire agreement. However, no one is aware of the content of this agreement.

Pakistan considers it “confidential,” but the Taliban say that the agreement is not confidential and has not yet been finalized.