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Istanbul Talks Between Pakistan and Afghan Taliban Collapse With No Deal

Disagreement over enforceable steps against the TTP undercut efforts to convert the Doha ceasefire into a lasting mechanism.

Overview

  • Three days of negotiations ended without a resolution or joint statement, according to sources from both sides cited by international outlets.
  • Pakistan pressed for concrete, verifiable action against the TTP, while Afghan negotiators were described as unwilling or unable to commit to such steps.
  • Afghan media and insider accounts reported that Pakistan admitted to an agreement permitting foreign drone strikes and that a phone call from Islamabad triggered a sudden reversal by its delegation, claims not independently corroborated.
  • Participants said Pakistan sought Kabul’s acceptance of a claimed right to conduct strikes inside Afghanistan in response to TTP attacks, a demand the Afghan side rejected as a breach of sovereignty.
  • The Oct. 19 Doha ceasefire remains in effect yet fragile, with border crossings still shut, trade stalled for hundreds of trucks, and Pakistan’s army reporting weekend clashes that left five soldiers and 25 fighters dead.