Abdul Haq Wasiq, the Taliban’s intelligence chief, will lead their delegation for the third round of talks with Pakistan in Istanbul, two sources confirmed.
The delegation is expected in Istanbul on Wednesday, a day ahead of the new round of negotiations between the two sides.
The second round of talks between a five-member Taliban delegation and the Pakistani side ended on October 31 after at least five days of talks that faced impasse at least two times. The two sides agreed to continue the next round of negotiations and keep the ceasefire agreed upon in first round of talks in Doha.
The first round of talks in Doha was led by Taliban defense minister Yaqoob Mujahid. The second round was led by Taliban deputy interior minister.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s chief spokesman, confirmed the delegation’s travel in comments to the state-run broadcaster under Taliban control.
The third round of negotiations between the Taliban and Pakistan is scheduled to begin Thursday, November 6, in Istanbul. The talks follow a previous six-day round that ended without a breakthrough but concluded with both sides agreeing to continue dialogue.
Pakistani officials have not made an official statement, but reports suggest that the Pakistani delegation will be led by Lt. Gen. Nadeem Anjum, the head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
One senior Taliban official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Amu TV that the previous round of talks had stalled over Pakistan’s demand that the Taliban take steps to prevent Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operations on Pakistani soil. The Taliban reportedly responded that preventing TTP activity inside Pakistan was not their responsibility, though they said they could act against any group launching attacks from within Afghanistan.
The same source added that the Taliban had presented three main demands to the Pakistani delegation: that Islamabad prevent ISIS-K from launching cross-border attacks from Pakistan into Afghanistan, and that Pakistan halt the use of drones over Afghan airspace. The Taliban official claimed that the Pakistani side rejected all three.
Meanwhile, Pakistani military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry reiterated earlier this week that Islamabad’s demand to end terrorism emanating from Afghan territory is “non-negotiable.” He insisted the Taliban must rein in the TTP, which has been blamed for a surge in deadly attacks inside Pakistan.
The talks in Turkey, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, are seen as a test of the Taliban’s willingness to address Pakistan’s growing security concerns. Border tensions have escalated in recent months, particularly after an October 11 attack that Islamabad blamed on militants operating from Afghanistan. The Taliban denied involvement and instead accused Pakistan of violating Afghan sovereignty with airstrikes.
With regional diplomacy fraying, Thursday’s meeting is viewed as a critical attempt to avoid further deterioration in ties between the Taliban and Pakistan.
