Taliban and Pakistan to Meet Again in Istanbul Next Week

According to the statement, this meeting follows six days of intense negotiations (October 25-30) that were mediated by Turkey and Qatar with the aim of strengthening the ceasefire agreement that was agreed upon in Doha on October 18 and 19.

The statement said that “all parties have agreed to continue the ceasefire”, and further details are to be discussed at next week’s meeting.

One of the key outcomes of the recent talks in Istanbul was an agreement on establishing a monitoring and verification mechanism to maintain the ceasefire and address any potential violations. Although details of this mechanism have not yet been clarified, this agreement is considered a step towards institutionalizing efforts for peace and reducing tensions between the two sides.

The joint statement also praised the active participation of both sides in the negotiations and emphasized that the mediators, Turkey and Qatar, will continue to support the peace process and sustainable stability.

The Istanbul talks took place while tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban have increased in recent weeks—especially due to border clashes and widespread expulsion of refugees from Pakistan. Experts say that this diplomatic effort provides a rare opportunity to reduce the crisis and create a framework for regional stability.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, in a statement after the end of these talks, described the Istanbul talks as a sign of their long-standing commitment to diplomatic solutions and negotiations.

According to him, the Taliban have advanced the negotiations with good intentions and a constructive approach by forming a “comprehensive and professional team” and thanked Turkey and Qatar for hosting this process.

Mujahid once again emphasized the Taliban’s desire to have positive relations with Pakistan:

According to informed sources, the Istanbul talks reached a deadlock at least twice. One of the senior Taliban officials also told Aamaj News that preventing the presence of ISIS and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan groups, as well as the issue of drone attacks by Pakistan, were among the main contentious issues in the negotiations.