As Kabul resists action against the Pakistan Taliban in wake of Quetta suicide bomb, Islamabad is left to weigh military strikes and expulsions. When Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived at the military hospital in Bannu in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on September 13, his stoic expression gave way to unmistakable anger. At least 19 soldiers had died […]

Taliban and Pakistan will reconvene in Istanbul on November 6 for a principal-level meeting to finalize implementation mechanisms for a ceasefire agreement, according to a joint statement released by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the statement, the announcement follows six days of negotiations from October 25 to 30, facilitated by Türkiye and Qatar, aimed at reinforcing the […]

The Taliban’s envoy in Pakistan said on Friday that nearly 10,000 Afghan nationals are currently being held in prisons and detention centers across the country, amid a sweeping crackdown on undocumented migrants and weeks-long border closures that have left thousands stranded. Sardar Ahmad Shakib said in a statement that the closures of key border crossings — including Torkham and Chaman […]

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leader of Pakistan’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, says that Islamabad cannot resolve its security issues with Afghanistan through threats. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the veteran politician stated that if Pakistan is unwilling to compromise on its own sovereignty, it must also respect Afghanistan’s national sovereignty. He added, “The two brotherly Islamic countries should build good relations […]

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 […]

Pakistani media reported Saturday that representatives from the country’s military and intelligence agencies, including the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), are part of the delegation currently engaged in ceasefire talks with the Taliban in Turkey. According to unnamed official sources cited by multiple outlets, the Pakistani team includes a senior ISI official from the agency’s Afghanistan desk, the Director General of Military […]

Pakistan’s defense minister warned on Saturday that if ongoing negotiations with the Taliban do not yield results, the country is prepared to enter into an “open war” with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers. Speaking to reporters in the city of Sialkot, Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that Islamabad remained committed to diplomacy but would resort to military action if current talks — […]

Pakistani media reported Saturday that representatives from the country’s military and intelligence agencies, including the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), are part of the delegation currently engaged in ceasefire talks with the Taliban in Turkey. According to unnamed official sources cited by multiple outlets, the Pakistani team includes a senior ISI official from the agency’s Afghanistan desk, the Director General of Military […]

Pakistan’s defense minister warned on Saturday that if ongoing negotiations with the Taliban do not yield results, the country is prepared to enter into an “open war” with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers. Speaking to reporters in the city of Sialkot, Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that Islamabad remained committed to diplomacy but would resort to military action if current talks — […]

Pakistani media have reported that a high-level delegation from Islamabad will travel to Kabul on Tuesday for talks focused on security, trade, and the recent ceasefire agreement with the Taliban. The visit comes after Pakistan and the Taliban signed an immediate ceasefire deal Saturday evening, following Qatar- and Turkey-mediated negotiations in Doha aimed at de-escalating tensions after deadly border clashes. […]