Pakistani negotiators and representatives of the Afghan Taliban reconvened in Istanbul on Sunday for the second consecutive day of discussions aimed at easing cross-border tensions and restoring stability along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier, diplomatic sources told Balochistan Pulse.
The latest round of dialogue follows a temporary truce brokered last weekend in Doha through the mediation of Qatar and Turkey, though the terms of that short-term understanding remain unclear. Officials said the Istanbul talks seek to finalize the mechanisms agreed in Doha to ensure lasting peace and prevent cross-border attacks.
According to diplomatic sources, the Taliban delegation on Saturday night shared a draft proposal with Pakistan outlining a framework for a bilateral ceasefire and the creation of a four-party oversight mechanism to monitor compliance and enable intelligence sharing between the two countries.
Pakistan’s delegation, after reviewing the document overnight, presented its detailed counter-proposal on Sunday morning. Islamabad reportedly urged Kabul to take “verifiable and concrete” steps against the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and to dismantle militant sanctuaries operating on Afghan soil.
“Pakistan has demanded verifiable guarantees that Afghan territory will not be used for attacks against Pakistan,” a senior diplomatic source told Balochistan Pulse.
The Taliban’s draft proposal, meanwhile, emphasizes mutual non-interference and respect for sovereignty, while Pakistan’s response underscores the need for a credible monitoring and verification system to track and respond to ceasefire violations.
Mediators from Turkey and Qatar are facilitating the negotiations, which sources say are focused on finalizing a verifiable framework for border monitoring and measures to curb cross-border militancy.
“The goal of the negotiations is to ensure border security and regional stability,” an official familiar with the talks said.
Diplomatic officials expressed cautious optimism that both sides could reach an agreement by late Sunday evening.
Earlier, sources confirmed that Pakistan rejected an Afghan proposal suggesting the relocation of TTP fighters to a different area within Afghanistan — a move Islamabad deemed insufficient to address its security concerns.
