Pakistan presses Afghan rulers to end TTP’s support in Istanbul talks

Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban returned to the negotiating table in Istanbul on Monday for a third round of talks, aiming to ease strains that flared after this month’s deadly border confrontations.

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

Meanwhile, Kabul urged “dialogue and understanding” after Islamabad warned of war if talks collapse.

Two weeks ago, Afghanistan launched a border offensive after explosions in Kabul the Taliban authorities blamed on Pakistan, sparking fierce clashes that left dozens dead on both sides, including civilians.

Islamabad responded with strikes against armed groups on Afghan soil, prompting further violence and a short-lived 48-hour ceasefire that collapsed soon after.

A second truce emerged following talks in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, though its terms remain unclear.

The Istanbul round, which began Saturday, aims to establish mechanisms to uphold the fragile truce and prevent renewed fighting.

“The second phase of negotiations is ongoing; we cannot predict the outcome and must wait for the end of the meeting,” Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP on Monday.

“The only solution to resolve the recent issue with Pakistan is dialogue and understanding,” he added.

“Further progress in the talks depends on the positive attitude of the Afghan Taliban,” Pakistani security sources said Sunday. They accused Taliban negotiators of showing “stubbornness and a lack of seriousness.”

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned on Saturday that failure to reach a deal could lead to “open war.”

“We have the option, if no agreement takes place, we have an open war with them,” he said.

Pakistan has demanded “verifiable action” against TTP, which it says launches attacks from Afghan soil.

Kabul denies harbouring militants and insists on safeguarding Afghanistan’s territorial integrity.

Taliban negotiators have reportedly asked Pakistan to stop violating Afghan airspace and refrain from supporting opposition groups.

On the sidelines of the Asean summit in Malaysia, US President Donald Trump said he could “solve the Afghanistan-Pakistan crisis very quickly.”

In a separate development, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi lauded the country’s security forces for successfully thwarting attempts by Khawarij militants to infiltrate from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

In a statement, Naqvi praised the brave and professional security personnel for their timely and decisive actions that led to the elimination of 25 militants, including four suicide bombers.

Naqvi also paid rich tribute to the five soldiers who embraced martyrdom during the operations against the militants. “Our brave sons sacrificed their lives to foil the evil designs of the Khawarij,” he said. “I salute the supreme sacrifices of our martyrs.”

In a separate development, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Washington views its expanding relationship with Pakistan as a positive and strategic opportunity aimed at advancing shared interests.

Speaking to the media en route to Doha, Qatar, Rubio said the United States was seeking to broaden cooperation with Pakistan in areas of common interest, describing it as part of a pragmatic and balanced foreign policy approach.

“We see an opportunity to expand our strategic relationship with Pakistan,” he said, according to a transcript of the briefing on the State Department’s website. “Our job is to figure out how many countries we can work with on things of mutual interest.”

Addressing questions about India’s concerns, Rubio said New Delhi understands the US approach and has responded with diplomatic maturity.

Agencies