High-stakes negotiations between Pakistan and the Taliban broke down in Istanbul on Sunday after the Pakistani delegation issued a final ultimatum, demanding “concrete and actionable steps” from the Taliban to dismantle terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan, according to reporting by Geo News citing official sources.
The two-day talks, mediated by Turkey, ended without an agreement, the report said, adding that Pakistani officials presented their final position during the second day, insisting there could be “no compromise” on Islamabad’s core concerns regarding terrorism. They urged the Taliban to change what one official described as its “tolerant posture” toward armed groups hostile to Pakistan, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Security sources cited by Pakistani media dismissed the Taliban delegation’s arguments as “detached from ground realities” and said the group appeared to be operating under “an agenda incompatible with regional stability.”
On Sunday, Taliban-run national broadcaster, RTA, reported that the Taliban had submitted a “comprehensive proposal” aimed at easing tensions. They emphasized the importance of respecting Afghanistan’s sovereignty and accused Islamabad of using security concerns as a pretext for political pressure. Taliban officials also said they would not allow any foreign country to dictate Afghan domestic policy and claimed that Pakistan’s demands went beyond the scope of reasonable bilateral cooperation.
The breakdown in talks marks a setback in efforts to de-escalate growing tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where recent clashes have left dozens dead and hundreds wounded. Key border crossings — including Chaman, Khyber, North and South Waziristan, and Kurram — remain closed. Hundreds of cargo trucks are still stranded at checkpoints including Torkham, Bab-e-Dosti, Ghulam Khan, Angoor Adda, and Kharlachi.
“The continuation of talks now depends entirely on the Taliban’s willingness to engage constructively,” a Pakistani source said, as quoted by Geo News, adding that Ankara is attempting to persuade the Taliban to acknowledge the regional security situation and act accordingly.
The Istanbul meetings followed an earlier round of dialogue held in Doha, brokered jointly by Qatar and Turkey. That round had yielded a fragile temporary cease-fire, but substantive progress on counterterrorism cooperation remained elusive.
According to Pakistani media, the Istanbul talks lasted nearly 30 hours in total — 19 hours on the first day and 11 on the second.
Officials in Islamabad have said they exercised “maximum patience and seriousness” during the process and now view the next steps as being entirely up to the Taliban.
