Istanbul, November 5, 2025: The second round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban is set to take place in Istanbul on Thursday, with Islamabad expected to push for a firm commitment to end cross-border terrorism originating from Afghan territory.
According to diplomatic sources, both delegations will meet under a pre-agreed schedule, and the discussions are likely to finalise a mechanism for enforcing the ceasefire agreement reached earlier in Doha.
Sources said that if the Afghan Taliban delegation is headed by a senior minister, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will also travel to Istanbul to join the talks. The final composition of Pakistan’s team will depend on the Afghan side’s representation, though the National Security Adviser is also expected to participate.
Officials said Pakistan will convey a clear and firm message that Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan.
It may be recalled that both sides, under the mediation of Türkiye and Qatar, had earlier agreed to maintain a ceasefire and establish a joint monitoring and verification mechanism to oversee its implementation. The system will also have the authority to penalise any party violating the ceasefire terms.
Tensions between the two countries escalated following cross-border attacks from Afghanistan on October 11, after which a ceasefire agreement was reached on October 19 in Doha, paving the way for renewed dialogue.
The Istanbul talks are expected to finalise operational details of the ceasefire and outline procedures for long-term peace and stability along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
