- Turkish intelligence chief mediates second round of talks.
- Kabul responds to Pakistan’s counterterrorism plan.
- Pakistan keeps border closed over security concerns.
Talks between delegations from Pakistan and Afghanistan resumed in Istanbul after Islamabad submitted its reply to the Taliban regime’s response to its counterterrorism plan, sources said on Sunday.
Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin is mediating the second round of the Istanbul talks, which began hours after the Pakistani delegation responded to the Taliban delegation’s submission of a reply to their suggestions, they added.
In the first phase of the talks in Istanbul on Saturday, Pakistan submitted a counterterrorism plan to the Afghan Taliban in an effort to address cross-border terrorism emanating from the Afghan soil.
Kabul responded to the plan at 2am late Sunday night.
The negotiations in Istanbul, Turkiye, are the second round of the peace talks, which began between the two nations in Qatar’s Doha on October 19.
Mediated by Qatar and Turkiye, the first round of talks saw the two sides agree to a ceasefire, following intense border clashes, instigated by the Taliban regime.
Pakistan launched a retaliatory campaign after the Taliban, aided by their affiliated militants, resorted to unprovoked firing along the border.
Pakistan Armed Forces repelled multiple attacks on their border posts, killing over 200 Taliban and affiliated militants. However, 23 soldiers embraced martyrdom during the border clashes.
Pakistan also conducted “precision strikes” in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and Kabul, destroying terrorists’ multiple strongholds.
Following the clashes, Pakistan closed its border crossings with the neighbouring country, saying that the lives of Pakistanis were more important than the movement of goods or trade.
Meanwhile, Islamabad continues to raise its concerns over the Taliban regime acting as an Indian proxy against it.
Speaking to reporters in Sialkot on Saturday, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that India was fighting a proxy war using the Afghan Taliban.
He warned of an “all-out war” with the Afghan Taliban regime in case the peace talks failed.
However, Asif — who led the Pakistani delegation in the Doha talks — said that he felt an urge for peace during those negotiations.
