ISTANBUL: Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime are set to hold crucial talks in Istanbul amid heightened tensions following deadly border clashes and Islamabad’s growing frustration over continued cross-border attacks by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
A Pakistani delegation led by Director General Inter-Services Intelligence and National Security Advisor Lt Gen Asim Malik departed for Istanbul on Wednesday, officials said. The meeting is a follow-up to earlier discussions that ran for five days and produced a last-minute interim deal.
The Afghan delegation, headed by intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq, includes Deputy Interior Minister Haji Najib, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi and senior Taliban figures Sohail Shaheen and Anas Haqqani. The principal-level talks, facilitated by Türkiye and Qatar, will focus on counterterrorism cooperation, border management and a verifiable mechanism to prevent further escalations along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier.
Last month’s heavy clashes left casualties on both sides and prompted Pakistan to close key crossings. Islamabad says many TTP fighters continue to operate from Afghan soil and has repeatedly urged Kabul to take decisive action against safe havens used by militants. In an informal briefing, Director General ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif warned any cross-border attack would be treated as breach of the truce and responded to with full force.
Pakistani military statements estimate heavy militant losses in recent skirmishes and assert that a number of attackers inside Pakistan were Afghan nationals. Diplomatic sources say Islamabad will press for tangible steps: dismantling training camps, handing over TTP leaders and sharing actionable intelligence to curb infiltration.
The Afghan side is expected to protest Pakistan’s airstrikes inside Afghan territory and raise the issue of undocumented refugee repatriation, insisting Kabul does not sponsor attacks across the border and urging Islamabad to address domestic security gaps.
With Türkiye and Qatar pushing for a durable framework after the Doha understanding, officials warn the Istanbul talks could be make-or-break. Failure to agree may deepen border militarisation, disrupt trade and further destabilise the region. Pakistan has made clear it seeks results, not rhetoric: Afghan soil must not be used for attacks, it says, or all options remain in place.
