Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban are holding the second round of talks in Istanbul, Türkiye, to advance the points agreed upon during the Doha ceasefire earlier this month, the Foreign Office confirmed on Friday.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the Istanbul dialogue is a continuation of the Doha talks, which led to a temporary ceasefire and a significant decline in cross-border terrorist attacks. A document was signed during those negotiations, he noted, adding that Pakistan considers the agreement binding regardless of Kabul’s interpretation.
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Andrabi explained that border crossings had been temporarily closed due to security concerns, stressing that protecting Pakistani lives outweighed trade or food supply considerations. He urged Afghanistan to take verifiable steps to curb attacks from its soil.
The spokesperson also said Pakistan remains alert to Indian threats in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and continues to monitor Israeli actions in the Middle East. Earlier, the Qatari Foreign Ministry confirmed both sides had agreed to an immediate ceasefire in Doha.
