Overview
- Talks are set for Thursday in Istanbul in what multiple reports describe as a decisive sixth round focused on counterterrorism and border security.
- Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said in a televised interview that "if talks fail, only war will happen," even as he voiced hope for a peaceful outcome.
- Pakistan’s delegation includes intelligence chief Asim Malik, while Afghanistan’s team is led by Abdul Haq Wasiq and features senior Taliban figures, according to Afghan media.
- Mediators from Türkiye and Qatar are facilitating efforts to lock in a ceasefire implementation plan with monitoring, verification and penalties for violations.
- The meeting follows deadly border clashes, an October 19 Doha truce and two failed rounds in late October that left core disputes over cross-border militancy unresolved.