Third day of Pakistan-Afghan Taliban talks in Istanbul ends without breakthrough

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The third day of Pakistan-Afghan Taliban talks in Istanbul ended without progress on Monday, with the Kabul administration reportedly refusing to meet Islamabad’s key counter-terrorism conditions.

Sources said the meeting was marred by disagreements, with Pakistan insisting on its own proposals while the Afghan Taliban delegation remained constrained by Kabul’s directives.

Mediators also accepted Pakistan’s demands as reasonable and legitimate, the sources said, adding that the Afghan negotiators themselves interestingly thought it was right to accept Islamabad’s counter-terrorism demands.

Security sources said that the Afghan Taliban delegation is taking instructions from Kabul and is repeatedly consulting with the Afghan administration during the ongoing negotiations. “The delegation seems to be under the sway of Kabul, and that creates delays,” he added.

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

However, he said there had been no encouraging response from Kabul, adding to the stalemate.

Sources added that it appeared that some elements in Kabul were seeking a different agenda. “Pakistan’s position is logical, strong and necessary for sustainable peace,” he asserted.

The third round of talks between the two sides came as a result of recent border clashes and clashes between the two sides this month.

Islamabad reiterated its principled position, urging the Taliban government to end its patronage of the Khawarij—the term commonly used for the outlawed Tehreek-e-Talaban Pakistan (TTP).

After agreeing to a ceasefire, broken by Qatar and Turkey, the two countries have held two rounds of talks, sources said.

Earlier this month, Pakistan launched a retaliatory campaign after the Taliban, with the help of their affiliated militants, helped the Taliban.

Pakistan’s armed forces repulsed several attacks on its border posts, killing more than 200 Taliban and affiliated militants. However, 23 soldiers accepted martyrdom during the border clashes.

Pakistan also carried out “sanitary strikes” in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and Kabul, destroying several terrorist strongholds.

After the clashes, Pakistan crossed its border with the neighboring country, saying that the lives of Pakistanis were more important than the movement of goods or trade.

Meanwhile, Islamabad is raising its concerns over the Taliban government acting as an Indian proxy against it.

During the second round of talks, Pakistan urged the Taliban government to take concrete and decisive steps to eliminate terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil.

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

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

Pakistan has offered its last stand to the Afghan side, making it clear that no tolerance or sanctuary will be acceptable for militants targeting Pakistan.

However, the Afghan Taliban have shown flexibility to cooperate or acknowledge the realities on the ground, a stance that has become increasingly apparent with other mediating parties.

Sources said earlier that Turkey had tried to bridge the gap by helping the Taliban delegation understand the evidence and gravity of Pakistan’s concerns.

However, security sources said progress would depend on whether the Taliban were seriously engaged and abandoned their current intervention.