Pakistani Delegation Stands Firm as Kabul-Controlled Taliban Hinders Progress in Istanbul

The third day of a new round of negotiations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban concluded in Istanbul, Türkiye, late Monday, without any significant progress. According to well-informed sources, the Kabul administration remained reluctant to fully comply with Pakistan’s counterterrorism demands.

Officials familiar with the discussions said the talks were overshadowed by persistent disagreements. Pakistan firmly reiterated its proposals, while the Taliban delegation appeared restricted by directives from Kabul. Mediators reportedly viewed Islamabad’s demands as both reasonable and legitimate, with some Afghan negotiators privately acknowledging that Pakistan’s counterterrorism conditions were justified.

Security insiders noted that the Afghan Taliban team has been consistently seeking guidance from Kabul throughout the dialogue. “The delegation seems to be tightly controlled by the Afghan administration, which has slowed down the negotiation process,” one source said.

According to the sources, Pakistan has consistently stressed that accepting its demands is in everyone’s interest, a point also conveyed to the Taliban side by the host countries.

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However, they said no encouraging response has come from Kabul, adding to the deadlock.

It appears, the sources added, that some elements in Kabul are pursuing a different agenda. “Pakistan’s stance remains logical, firm, and essential for lasting peace,” they stressed..

The third round of talks between the two sides commenced in the aftermath of the recent border skirmishes and clashes between the two sides in the ongoing month.

Islamabad reiterated its principled stance, urging the Taliban regime to end its patronage of the khawarij — a term commonly used for outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — which is involved in carrying out deadly attacks in Pakistan, as well as cross-border attacks from Afghanistan.

After agreeing to a ceasefire, brokered by Qatar and Turkiye, both nations have held two rounds of negotiations — with no result so far — and have now commenced a fresh round of talks, said sources.

Pakistan launched a retaliatory campaign after the Taliban, aided by their affiliated militants, resorted to unprovoked firing along the border earlier this month.

Pakistan Armed Forces repelled multiple attacks on their border posts, killing over 200 Taliban and affiliated militants. However, 23 soldiers embraced martyrdom during the border clashes.

Pakistan also conducted “precision strikes” in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and Kabul, destroying terrorists’ multiple strongholds.

Following the clashes, Pakistan closed its border crossings with the neighbouring country, saying that the lives of Pakistanis were more important than the movement of goods or trade.

Meanwhile, Islamabad continues to raise its concerns over the Taliban regime acting as an Indian proxy against it.

During the second round of talks, Pakistan urged the Taliban regime to take concrete and definitive steps to dismantle terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil.

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Security sources said the Taliban’s arguments during the exchanges were “illogical and detached from ground realities”, reinforcing doubts about their willingness to work towards genuine regional stability.

They added that further progress in the talks hinges entirely on the Taliban’s attitude and readiness to cooperate in good faith.

Pakistan has presented its final position to the Afghan side, making it clear that any tolerance or shelter for militants targeting Pakistan would not be acceptable.

However, the Afghan Taliban have shown inflexibility to cooperate or acknowledge ground realities, a stance that has become increasingly clear to other mediating parties as well.

The sources had earlier said that Turkiye was trying to bridge the gap by helping the Taliban delegation grasp the evidence and the gravity of Pakistan’s concerns.

However, the security sources said progress will depend on whether the Taliban engage with seriousness and abandon their current intransigence.