Taliban, Pakistan ‘agreed on most issue’ in Istanbul talks: Report

The Taliban-run national broadcaster, RTA, reported Monday that Taliban and Pakistan have agreed on “most issues” in Istanbul talks that entered their third day on Monday.

The two delegations are expected to issue a joint communiqué by the end of the day, the report said.

The report did not provide specifics about the terms of agreement, but said the statement will likely cover key points such as the reopening of border crossings, the release of prisoners, scheduling of the next round of talks, and other unresolved matters.

Negotiations, which began over the weekend, mark the latest attempt to defuse tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban following weeks of escalating conflict, cross-border fire, and mutual recriminations. The talks are taking place in Turkey and are being viewed as a critical test for bilateral relations after deadly clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border earlier this month.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban chief spokesman, said Monday that his side remains optimistic and committed to resolving disputes through dialogue — but issued a warning. “If any country attacks Afghanistan, we will respond,” he told the Taliban-controlled national broadcaster.

Mujahid’s remarks came a day after Geo News, a leading Pakistani media outlet, reported that talks had faltered. According to sources cited by the outlet, Islamabad had presented its final position on Sunday, demanding that the Taliban take “concrete and verifiable steps” to eliminate militant groups operating from Afghan soil — especially Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has been responsible for a growing number of attacks inside Pakistan.

Pakistani officials have accused the Taliban of providing safe haven to anti-Pakistan militants, a charge the Taliban have repeatedly denied. The issue of cross-border militancy has been a longstanding source of tension, compounded recently by border closures, mass deportations of Afghan refugees, and retaliatory rhetoric.

While both sides have publicly emphasized a desire for stability, analysts warn that the outcome of these talks may hinge on security guarantees that the Taliban have so far been unwilling — or unable — to enforce.

The current round of talks is expected to conclude late Monday. If a joint statement is released, it will be the first public indication of concrete progress since the Doha ceasefire agreement earlier this month, the full text of which remains undisclosed.