Pakistan vows to protect sovereignty as Afghan talks end without progress

ISLAMABAD: The talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan held in Istanbul ended in a deadlock, as both sides failed to bridge their differences over key security and counterterrorism issues, ARY News reported.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan appreciated Türkiye and Qatar for their mediation efforts in facilitating the dialogue. However, he confirmed that the talks concluded without any breakthrough.

Tarar reaffirmed Pakistan’s principled stance that preventing terrorism from Afghan soil remains Afghanistan’s responsibility. He said the Afghan Taliban had so far failed to fulfill the commitments made under the 2021 Doha Peace Agreement, including those pertaining to regional and international obligations.

“Pakistan continues to maintain goodwill for the Afghan people and wishes for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan,” Tarar said, adding that Islamabad would not support any action by the Taliban government that goes against the interests of the Afghan people or neighbouring countries.

 

He emphasized that Pakistan will continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard its citizens and sovereignty.

Following the conclusion of the Istanbul talks, Pakistan’s National Security Adviser and other members of the delegation departed for home, with officials confirming that the Pakistani team has now returned.

Earlier, Foreign Office Spokesperson Ambassador Tahir Hussain Andrabi said that during the Istanbul talks, Pakistan had handed over its evidence-based demands to the mediators with the sole objective of ending cross-border terrorism.

Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban resumed peace talks in Istanbul, marking the third round of negotiations after previous discussions failed to secure a lasting truce. The talks are being held under the joint mediation of Turkiye and Qatar.

Addressing his weekly media briefing, the spokesperson said the talks between Pakistan and the Afghanistan regime began in Istanbul with the participation of the mediators.

“Pakistan’s delegation has presented its evidence-based, justified, and logical demands to the mediators with the singular aim of ending cross-border terrorism,” Ambassador Andrabi stated. “The mediators have fully endorsed Pakistan’s stance based on the evidence provided, as well as on the tenets of international law and principles.”

He added that the mediators were now discussing Pakistan’s demands with the Afghan Taliban delegation point by point.