🔰Update on Pakistan – Afghanistan Dialogue, Istanbul – October 2025
by aqeel Tareen
Ever since the assumption of control in Kabul, Pakistan has repeatedly engaged with the Afghan Taliban Regime regarding persistent cross border terrorism by Indian-abetted Fitna al Khwarij (TTP) and Indian proxy, Fitna al Hindustan (BLA). The Afghan Taliban Regime have been asked time and again to fulfil their written commitments to Pakistan and to the international community in Doha Agreement. However, Pakistan’s fervent efforts proved futile due to Afghan Taliban Regime’s unabated support to anti-Pakistan terrorists. Since the Taliban regime bears no responsibility towards the people of Afghanistan and thrives on war economy, it desires to drag and mire Afghan people into a needless war. Pakistan has always desired, advocated and immensely sacrificed for peace and prosperity for the people of Afghanistan. In the same spirit, Pakistan has held countless rounds of talks and parleys with the Afghan Taliban Regime but unfortunately they have always remained indifferent to Pakistan’s losses. Sadly, after sustaining such huge losses of men and material for four long years, Pakistan’s patience has run its course.
In an effort to give peace a chance, on the request of brotherly countries of Qatar and Türkiye, Pakistan engaged with the Afghan Taliban Regime, first at Doha, Qatar and then at Istanbul, Türkiye on a single point agenda i.e. soliciting action by Afghan Taliban Regime to prevent use of Afghan soil by these terrorist organisations as training-cum-logistic base and jump off point for terrorist activities in Pakistan.
Pakistan is thankful to Qatar and Turkiye for facilitating this dialogue and their sincerest efforts in convincing Afghan Taliban Regime to desist from the use of terror proxies as leverage against Pakistan.
Over the last four days of dialogue, the Afghan Taliban delegation repeatedly agreed to Pakistan’s logical and legitimate demand for credible and decisive action against these organisations and terrorists. Sufficient and irrefutable evidence was provided by Pakistan which was acknowledged by Afghan Taliban and the hosts, however, regrettably, the Afghan side gave no assurances. The Afghan side kept deviating from the core issue, evading the key point upon which the dialogue process was initiated. Instead of accepting any responsibility, the Afghan Taliban resorted to blame game, deflection and ruses. The dialogue thus failed to bring about any workable solution.
We thank the Governments of Qatar and Türkiye and other friendly states for their support and sincere efforts to bring about a peaceful solution to the problem of terrorism, for the prosperity and security of the two countries and the region at large.
The security of its people is of paramount importance to Pakistan. We will continue to take all possible measures necessary to protect our people from the menace of terrorism and assure them that the Government of Pakistan will continue to employ all the resources which are required in this regard to decimate the terrorists, their sanctuaries, their abetters and supporters.
