Second round of Pakistan-Afghanistan peace talks begins in Istanbul

The second round of peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan, mediated by Turkey, has begun in Istanbul, with Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif warning that the collapse of the negotiations would amount to “open war”.

The fresh dialogue follows the first round of Pakistan-Afghanistan peace talks jointly facilitated by Qatar and Türkiye in Doha on October 18-19. That meeting came on the heels of days of deadly clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border - where trade remains suspended - and Pakistani airstrikes on Gul Bahadur group camps inside Afghan territory.

The Doha talks had led to the extension of an initial 48-hour truce into a permanent ceasefire and a joint pledge to meet again in Istanbul to establish long-term security mechanisms.

Focus on implementing Doha commitments

Diplomatic sources confirmed that the Istanbul discussions are being held at a local hotel, where both sides are reviewing the progress made in Doha and exploring ways to solidify the ceasefire.

The Afghan delegation is led by Deputy Interior Minister Rahmatullah Mujib and includes Anas Haqqani - brother of Afghanistan’s Interior Minister and acting head of the Afghan Embassy in Qatar - along with Noor Ahmad Noor, Noor Rehman Nusrat from the Ministry of Defense, and a representative from the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pakistan’s seven-member delegation comprises senior security officials expected to present proposals aimed at curbing cross-border attacks, creating joint monitoring mechanisms, and finalizing a framework to address mutual security and counterterrorism concerns.

Despite the diplomatic momentum, key border crossings at Chaman, Khyber, South and North Waziristan, and Kurram remain shut for the 14th consecutive day. Hundreds of cargo trucks are stranded at Torkham, Kharlachi, Angoor Adda, Ghulam Khan, and Bab-e-Dosti, awaiting clearance to enter Pakistan.

‘Ceasefire still holding,’ says Pakistan

Commenting on the talks, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Istanbul round builds on the Doha dialogue, which centered on preventing terrorist attacks originating from Afghan soil.

“The basic focus of the Doha talks was to stop terrorist attacks from Afghan soil into Pakistan. To achieve that, there must be a verifiable, empirical mechanism ensuring that the Taliban regime in Kabul takes concrete measures to prevent such incidents,” the spokesperson said.

He noted that the ceasefire agreed upon in Doha “by and large still stands,” calling it a positive outcome. “We are participating in the Istanbul talks with the same sincerity and intent as we did in Doha,” he added, emphasizing Pakistan’s expectation that “Afghan soil should not be used for terrorist attacks against Pakistan.”

According to the spokesperson, no major terrorist attack from Afghan territory has been reported in recent days — a sign of “encouraging progress.”

Asif warns of ‘open war’ if talks fail

Minister Asif, speaking to reporters in Sialkot, cautioned that the failure of the peace process would mean “an open war.” He, however, acknowledged signs of progress, noting that “no violent incidents had been reported in the last three to four days.”

“If these talks fail, it will be an open war,” Asif warned. “It may not just be my wishful thinking, but I saw a sense of peace in them.”

The Istanbul round is widely seen as a decisive opportunity to stabilize Pakistan-Afghanistan relations amid rising border tensions and ongoing security challenges facing both nations.