Turkey served as the stage for renewed negotiations between Pakistan and Afghan Taliban regime, during which Pakistan presented evidence-based demands aimed at ending cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghan soil. [Arab News PK +2 Geo News].
Under the mediation of Turkey and Qatar, talks between Pakistani and Afghan representatives were held as an effort to restore relations following recent border clashes that escalated after October’s sharp escalation in tensions, described by Pakistani officials as serious attempts at persuasion against militant groups operating along their shared frontier.
News International reported the talks as having taken place.
Tahir Andrabi, Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson, stated at a briefing in Islamabad that their delegation presented documentation and intelligence to mediators from Afghanistan about militant hideouts which have launched attacks against Pakistan from within Afghanistan. Andrabi said that the mediators fully endorsed their stance based on international law principles as well as state responsibility – this claim being repeated daily by Daily Times reporters.
Turkish and Qatari mediation have reviewed each of Pakistan’s demands separately and officials from both parties indicated that Afghanistan will respond individually. According to Pakistani officials, their goal now is to establish a mechanism not only to monitor but also verify compliance – penalising any party found failing to act appropriately – before setting an official timetable and timeline for implementation. (Sources). +1 [The News International].
Why the talks matter
Pakistan is pressing for talks amid an upsurge in militant attacks targeting its security forces and civilians near Afghanistan’s borders, alleging that Kabul allows or overlooks safe havens used by militant groups like Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). On several occasions Islamabad has accused Kabul of permitting or turning a blind eye to these safe havens, in particular by TTP. Throughout 2018, Dawn newspaper has reported allegations from Islamabad alleging Afghan support of insurgent safe havens used by TTP terrorists operating from Afghanistan’s soil.
These negotiations carry high stakes: for Pakistan, success would mean meaningful action across the border – not simply promises from Afghanistan Taliban officials. By giving in to these demands, capitulating could force changes to how militant groups within Afghanistan are managed by Afghan authorities; mediators’ endorsement of Pakistan’s evidence-based approach provides Islamabad with greater diplomatic leverage.

While Pakistan has not publicly released the full list of demands on the table, Pakistani officials highlighted three core themes.

Crackdown on militant bases on Afghan soil used to launch attacks against Pakistan

Establishment of an impartial monitoring and verification mechanism under mediator oversight.

Respect of border sovereignty and cessation of cross-border shelling or incursions

Andrabi warned the media and public against spreading false or misleading information, calling upon them to ignore unverified claims circulating on social media which were either unverifiable or intentionally deceptive. He cautioned against “speculative or deceptive information on social media”. +1 Daily Times.
What lies ahead
Ahead are several substantial obstacles. The Afghan Taliban delegation remains cautious, insisting on protecting Afghan sovereignty while demanding clearer reciprocal guarantees from Pakistan; previous rounds of talks had collapsed over such matters, according to News International.
Pakistan received a clear message: diplomatic patience is limited. One Pakistani military statement warned that failure to act would force Islamabad to consider alternative means, with border escalation potentially becoming an option if negotiations fail. The Times of India published an editorial warning this afternoon against further delays by Islamabad in acting upon any failure by them to do their duty and prevent failure on either side.
As the Istanbul dialogue progresses, observers will keep an eye on whether Afghanistan responds with concrete commitments — such as dismantling militant camps and extradition requests — and whether the mediator mechanism kicks into full gear. If so, this may mark a turning point in an otherwise difficult relationship; otherwise both nations could find themselves back nearing disaster.

Overall, these Istanbul talks represent Pakistan’s determined effort to transform security concerns into formal diplomatic demands with evidence and international support. Whether this turns into durable peace or just another round of stalled talks depends on actions rather than words.