South Asia

Pakistan-Afghanistan to start third round of Istanbul talks to end border tensions

Published: 14:42, 6 November 2025

Pakistan and Afghanistan are set to begin the third round of high-stakes negotiations in Istanbul today, seeking to end cross-border terrorism, uphold the fragile ceasefire agreed after deadly border clashes last month, and establish a permanent framework for security cooperation.

The two-day talks, jointly mediated by Turkiye and Qatar, follow earlier discussions in Doha and Istanbul that failed to yield a breakthrough on long-term border security and anti-terror coordination.
According to diplomatic sources, Pakistan’s delegation is led by Lt Gen Asim Malik, Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and includes senior officials from the Foreign Office, military, and intelligence community. The Afghan Taliban side is headed by Abdul Haq Waseq, chief of the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), along with Deputy Interior Minister Rehmatullah Najib, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen, Anas Haqqani, Qahar Balkhi, Zakir Jalali, and Afghanistan’s chargé d’affaires in Ankara.
The talks come amid heightened tensions following the October 11–15 border clashes, which left several soldiers and civilians dead on both sides. Islamabad has accused the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of using Afghan soil to launch attacks, while the Taliban government maintains that it does not support militant activities against Pakistan.
A statement issued by Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry after the previous round said both sides had “agreed to maintain the ceasefire and develop a joint monitoring and verification mechanism,” adding that violations would lead to penalties for the responsible party.
The Istanbul meeting, described by officials as “decisive,” will focus on finalizing this mechanism, establishing joint intelligence-sharing protocols, and creating safe border zones to prevent infiltration.
Diplomatic observers say the outcome of the talks will be crucial for regional stability, as both nations face mounting pressure from mediators to de-escalate tensions and prevent a renewed outbreak of violence.
The next session between the “principals” from both sides had been scheduled for November 6 to review implementation progress and explore confidence-building measures aimed at restoring trust between Islamabad and Kabul.