ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan are holding high-stakes talks in Istanbul on Saturday, aimed at restoring peace, ensuring stability, and ending clashes along their shared borders. Said the foreign office spokesperson
The neighbors are embroiled in a bitter security row that has become increasingly violent, with each side saying they were responding to aggression from the other.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of turning a blind eye to militant groups, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), that cross the border for attacks, a charge the country’s Taliban ruler reject.
Last weekend, Qatar and Turkiye mediated a ceasefire to pause the hostilities. The truce has largely held, although the countries’ border remains closed except for Afghan refugees leaving Pakistan.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said that the Istanbul meeting serves as a continuation of the first round, which had led to a ceasefire between the two neighboring countries.
The foreign office spokesperson also termed the first round a first step in ensuring regional peace and stability. He said the Doha talks focused on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan stemming from Afghanistan and the restoration of peace and stability along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Both sides are expected to discuss strengthening border control, ensuring financial transparency on militant funding, and holding regular review meetings to sustain the peace process.
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