Talks between Taliban and Pakistan delegations in Istanbul on ceasefire concluded on Saturday with an agreement to continue negotiations in the coming days, Pakistani media reported.
The talks, mediated by Turkey, focused on counterterrorism cooperation, border security, and mechanisms to reduce cross-border hostilities. According to reporting by The Express Tribune and sources familiar with the talks, both sides agreed to reconvene within the next two days to further define joint frameworks for security, counterterrorism, and border coordination.
Pakistan’s delegation, which included senior officials from the military, Foreign Ministry, and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), reportedly presented a unified agenda centered on the dismantling of militant networks operating from Afghan territory — with a specific emphasis on Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Gul Bahadur group.
“Islamabad made it clear that the Afghan government must take concrete steps to eliminate terrorist groups and their sanctuaries,” a Pakistani official with knowledge of the discussions told The Express Tribune.
The Taliban, according to their spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, agreed to uphold the existing ceasefire and work toward de-escalating border tensions, which had spiked dramatically since mid-October.
On Saturday, Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, issued a blunt warning, saying that if the Taliban failed to honor security agreements, Islamabad was prepared to engage in “open war.” However, in comments following the talks, he acknowledged that both sides had shown willingness to maintain peace. “Over the past four to five days, there have been no border incidents,” Asif said. “It appears both parties are honoring the cease-fire.”
Tensions between the two sides escalated sharply on October 12. Pakistan launched strikes targeting Taliban border outposts. The two sides claimed to inflict dozens of casualties on each other in the week-long border skirmishes that happened sporadically.
The Istanbul talks are a continuation of an earlier meeting in Doha, where the two sides agreed to an immediate ceasefire following more than a week of border violence. Despite the ceasefire holding so far, mistrust remains deep.
Diplomatic observers say the Istanbul discussions are aimed at forging a formal mechanism to manage security cooperation and avoid a repeat of the clashes that nearly tipped both sides into broader conflict.
