Islamabad: Pakistan Friday confirmed that the next round of talks with Afghanistan would be held on November 6 and expressed hope for a “positive outcome” from the dialogue.
Addressing his weekly press conference, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi also said that Pakistan does not wish to escalate tensions with the neighbouring country.
“Pakistan will continue to remain engaged in the mediation process and hopes for a positive outcome for the November 6 talks,” he said.
The next round was scheduled after Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to continue a ceasefire that was agreed after a brief conflict earlier this month.
The first round of talks was held in Doha October 18 and 19, followed by the second in Istanbul October 25, which went for several days but ended without a breakthrough on the key issue of cross-border terrorism.
But efforts continued behind the curtains to salvage the process, with Turkiye playing a role in ending the stalemate and paving the way for the November 6 talks.
It was earlier said that the Istanbul round ended Tuesday, but Andrabi said the talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, in the presence of mediators, concluded in Istanbul Thursday evening.
“Pakistan positively engaged with the Taliban regime without compromising on its clearly stated position that Afghan soil should not be used for terrorism against Pakistan,” he said.
He said that Pakistan was against any escalation of hostilities but “expects the Afghan Taliban regime to honour its commitment to the international community and address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns by taking concrete and verifiable actions against terrorist entities, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The spokesperson claimed that Pakistan had been urging the Afghan Taliban for the past four years to take “decisive and effective measures” against terrorist outfits present on Afghan soil.
He also warned that Pakistan would respond resolutely if provocations continue in the future.
Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif rejected the Afghan Taliban’s claim that the TTP militants are “Pakistani refugees” returning after residing in Afghanistan.
He questioned “how these so-called refugees could be returning armed with highly destructive weapons, not travelling openly by buses, trucks, or cars on main roads, but instead sneaking into Pakistan through difficult mountain routes like thieves”.
He added that “this very argument exposes Afghanistan’s insincerity and ill intent”.
Asif told Geo TV that the relations with Afghanistan can never be returned to normal unless Kabul ends its support for the TTP.
He added that it is difficult to trust the Afghan side without firm guarantees against cross-border attacks.
The defence minister said he would not blame the entire Afghan government, but many within its ranks are providing support to these groups.
