Pakistan-Afghanistan Peace Talks Poised for Restart in Istanbul

Islamabad,October 30. There is a possibility that the peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan will resume. Following the official declaration by the government that the previous round of talks had failed, a Pakistani security source announced on Thursday that both countries are preparing to hold the next round of discussions in Istanbul.

The peace process, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, was advanced after the deadliest clash between the two South Asian neighbours since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The escalating violence followed a massive explosion in Kabul on October 9, which resulted in the death of more than 70 people and injuries to hundreds. Afghan officials had levelled accusations against Pakistan regarding responsibility for the blast.

Although the latest round of talks commenced in Istanbul last Saturday, Pakistan officially declared the talks as 'failed' on Wednesday. However, according to Pakistani security sources, the possibility of conducting another round of talks, once again in Istanbul, remains open at the request of the Afghan Taliban administration.

Speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, the source stated, "Pakistan is prepared to participate in the talks as requested by the Afghan side, but will not compromise on its core national security priorities."

Meanwhile, the Afghan state-run broadcaster, RTA, also reported on Thursday that "preparations to resume the stalled talks, mediated by Turkey and Qatar, are in their final stages."

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which share a 2,600-kilometre (1,600-mile) long common border, have become significantly strained in recent years.

Islamabad has been accusing Afghanistan of providing safe haven to terrorist groups involved in cross-border attacks. Islamabad specifically alleges that groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) use Afghan soil as their operational base.

However, the Taliban government has repeatedly denied these allegations and reiterated its stance that it will not allow its territory to be used for violent activities against any country.