Overview
- The new round in Istanbul, mediated by Türkiye and Qatar, aims to finalize a monitoring and verification mechanism with penalties to uphold the October 19 ceasefire.
- Pakistan’s delegation includes ISI chief Lt Gen Asim Malik, while the Afghan team is led by intelligence chief Abdul Haq Waseq alongside senior figures such as Suhail Shaheen and Anas Haqqani.
- Islamabad’s one-point demand is verifiable action to ensure Afghan soil is not used for attacks on Pakistan, specifically targeting TTP sanctuaries.
- Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that a collapse of talks could prompt a military response, saying Pakistan "may respond in the same manner" if targeted.
- Military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif cited recent militant casualty figures and rejected claims of a secret US-Pakistan drone arrangement, as officials noted earlier delays from Afghan delegates seeking directives from Kabul and Kandahar.