Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday agreed to ensure maintenance of a ceasefire on the border and resume talks to salvage the peace process that hit snags early this week, according to a report. A second round of discussions between Pakistani and Afghan Taliban delegations had begun in Istanbul on Saturday, but failed after Pakistan accused the Taliban of showing reluctance to give assurances to stop cross-border attacks.
A joint statement released by Türkiye, the host of the latest round of talks, early on Friday stated “further modalities of the implementation will be discussed and decided” during a principal-level meeting in Istanbul on November 6, Dawn reported on Friday. Though the statement didn’t specify who the “principals” would be, it is expected that it meant the defence ministers of the two countries, who led their sides in the first round in Doha, would now meet in Istanbul, the report added.
The joint statement further said that during this period, the two countries also agreed on a “monitoring and verification mechanism” to ensure the maintenance of peace and to impose a penalty on the side that breaches the ceasefire. “All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and imposing penalty on the violating party,” said the joint statement released by Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The statement further said that as mediators, Türkiye and Qatar expressed their appreciation for the “active contribution of both parties” and the two countries will continue their cooperation with both sides for “lasting peace and stability”.
Türkiye and Qatar have deep ties with Pakistan, while Qatar also played a major role in the negotiations between the Afghan Taliban and NATO forces, the report said. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, commenting on the development, said, “Just as the Islamic emirate seeks good relations with other neighbouring countries, it also desires positive ties with Pakistan and remains committed to relations based on mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs and not posing a threat to any side.”
The joint statement came shortly after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif - who had earlier issued a strongly worded warning to Kabul after the stalemate in talks - said that a “ray of light” was visible in the Istanbul negotiations. “Different drafts are being exchanged for an eventual agreement. You can say that some ray of light is visible; there is very guarded optimism.
