Overview
- Pakistan’s defence minister said the two-day Istanbul negotiations ended with no agreement and no plan for a fourth round.
- Islamabad insisted on written assurances and a joint monitoring mechanism to curb TTP attacks from Afghan soil, which Afghan negotiators declined according to Pakistan.
- The Taliban called Pakistan’s terms unreasonable and beyond Afghanistan’s capacity, while spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the ceasefire would hold and warned of the right to self-defence if war breaks out.
- Kabul accused elements within Pakistan’s military of sabotaging talks, as Turkey and Qatar’s mediation failed to secure verification arrangements first floated after earlier rounds.
- Border restrictions and trade disruptions persist with most crossings closed, casualty claims from recent clashes remain disputed, and earlier Pakistani airstrikes and Taliban retaliation underscore the ceasefire’s fragility.