The third round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban concluded in Istanbul after an intensive 18-hour session, according to diplomatic sources.
During the marathon discussions, the Afghan Taliban delegation reportedly agreed multiple times with Pakistan’s “logical and legitimate” demand for verifiable and decisive action against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist elements. Sources said the delegation acknowledged the core issue in the presence of the hosts as well.
However, each time the delegation’s stance shifted following fresh instructions from Kabul, sources revealed. They added that the unreasonable and unjustified guidance from Kabul was largely responsible for the talks remaining inconclusive.
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Despite the setbacks, both Pakistan and the host mediators continue to pursue a diplomatic and reasoned approach to address the complex issues.
According to sources, one final attempt is still underway to resolve the matter through dialogue, with efforts focused on steering the negotiations toward a potential last and decisive round.
