Mediators: Türkiye & Qatar | Date: November 6–7, 2025

The third round of high-level Pakistan-Afghanistan negotiations took place in Istanbul on November 6, 2025, with Türkiye and Qatar acting as neutral mediators. While observers initially held cautious optimism following previous rounds, the talks ended in a deadlock, highlighting deep mistrust and diverging priorities between Islamabad and Kabul.

Early Optimism and Rising Tensions

The preceding round had raised hopes after both sides agreed in principle to establish a monitoring and verification mechanism to maintain peace and enforce penalties on violators. However, optimism quickly dissipated in Istanbul. The sudden presentation of a new draft by Kabul shocked the Pakistani delegation, exposing underlying suspicions and stalling progress, which in turn escalated tensions. By the evening of November 7, Pakistan’s delegation returned to Islamabad without a breakthrough.

Pakistan’s Approach and Core Demands

Led by Lt. Gen. Asim Malik, Pakistan presented a concise and clear approach: prioritize security, facilitate trade, protect citizens, and ensure verifiable commitments from Afghanistan. The proposed documents were brief but precise, focusing on practical, actionable steps rather than vague assurances.

Key demands included:

• No Afghan soil for anti-Pakistan operations: Specific groups, locations, and timelines must be clearly identified.
• Tangible counterterrorism action: Safe houses, training camps, financial channels, and media outlets used by terrorist groups must be dismantled and documented.
• Binding religious decree: A public declaration forbidding any call to holy war against Pakistan.
• Ending state-linked support: Afghanistan’s GDI and Haqqani network elements must cease facilitation, funding, or shelter of anti-Pakistan groups.
• Trade facilitation: In return, Pakistan offered full border access for essential goods, including food, medicine, and perishables.

Pakistan emphasized that promises must be actionable, warning that commitments “written in smoke” would not suffice.

Religious Decree Dispute

The demand for a religious decree became an early point of contention. Pakistan argued that the decree was crucial to delegitimize religious justifications for attacks. Still, Kabul insisted it could only provide “guidance,” not a binding order, citing the limits of its clerical structure. This disagreement cooled negotiations and reflected deeper structural differences in approach.

Counterterrorism Measures and Verification

Pakistan repeatedly pressed for verifiable evidence of counterterrorism measures—photos of dismantled facilities, lists of detainees, and mediator-verified actions. The Afghan side cited fragile public order and limited capacity, while also accusing Pakistan of hosting ISKP and permitting drone strikes, claims firmly rejected by Islamabad.

Joint Counter-Terrorism Mechanism (JCM)

To build trust, Pakistan proposed the Joint Counter-Terrorism Mechanism, initially based at Torkham and Chaman, with expansion plans. The mechanism would feature:

• Daily-updated shared watchlists with photos and case numbers.
• A hotline with timestamped logs accessible to both sides.
• Border surveillance with neutral mediator audit rights.
• Legal support for refugees, students, and medical patients.
• Trade green lanes with RFID seals and penalties to ensure uninterrupted commerce.

The Afghan side initially agreed in principle, raising hopes for a joint statement.

Breakdown of Kabul’s New Draft

Progress was abruptly halted by a new draft from Kabul, which:

• Denied the presence of TTP or other armed groups in Afghanistan.
• Refused commitments to the religious decree, JCM, or verifiable counterterrorism steps.
• Omitted previously discussed trade facilitation and verification measures.

Mediators from Türkiye and Qatar expressed frustration, with one describing the draft as “not serious” and another as “a plan to fail.” Afghan delegates insisted the text was non-negotiable, leaving the talks at an impasse.

Pakistan’s Standing Offer

Despite the deadlock, Pakistan left the door open for further discussions. Islamabad’s offer remains clear: return to previously agreed principles, implement verifiable measures against anti-Pakistan groups, issue an unambiguous religious decree, activate the JCM, and facilitate trade and humanitarian access. A senior Pakistani official summarized:

“We brought a map, and they tore up the compass. The road forward begins the day they choose verification.”

Afghanistan’s Response

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Afghan Interim Government, stated on November 8, 2025, that the TTP issue is longstanding, dating back to 2002. He highlighted that the Taliban had facilitated direct talks between Pakistan and the TTP in the past, but blamed the Pakistani military for ending the process.

Background Context

The 2020 Doha Agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban committed Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used for attacks against any country. However, a 2023 Pentagon assessment revealed that ISIS/ISKP continues to use Afghanistan as a base for planning global attacks, underscoring persistent security challenges.

Current Status

The Istanbul round ended without a joint statement, leaving negotiations in limbo. Pakistan has maintained its conditional offer, emphasizing verification and concrete action as prerequisites. The next move now depends on Kabul’s willingness to honor prior agreements and engage in verifiable, actionable diplomacy.

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