Afghanistan and Pakistan return to Istanbul for more peace talks

Afghanistan and Pakistan return to Istanbul for more peace talks
People inspect houses and vehicles destroyed during an airstrike in Afghanistan, October 16, 2025.
Reuters

Afghanistan and Pakistan will resume peace talks in Istanbul on Thursday, both nations said, after a previous round ended without agreeing a lasting truce.

Both sides signed a ceasefire in Doha on 19 October, but a second round of negotiations in Istanbul last week ended without a long-term deal, due to a disagreement over militant groups hostile to Pakistan operating inside Afghanistan.

"We hope that wisdom prevails and peace is restored in the region," Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told reporters on Wednesday.

He said Islamabad is pursuing a "one-point agenda" of convincing Afghanistan to rein in militants attacking Pakistani forces across their shared border, allegedly with the Taliban's knowledge. 

Two government sources said the head of Pakistan's military intelligence wing, Asim Malik, is leading the Pakistani delegation.

The Afghan delegation will be led by intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told state broadcaster RTA.

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