By Mashal Khan

ISLAMABAD— Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban are set to hold the next round of peace talks in Istanbul on Saturday, the Foreign Office announced on Friday, describing the initiative as a continuation of the Doha agreement reached last week to promote regional peace and stability.

Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ambassador Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Pakistan welcomes the agreement finalized between the two sides in Doha, Qatar, on October 19, 2025, calling it “a first step toward ensuring regional peace and stability.”

He expressed Pakistan’s deep appreciation for the “constructive role” played by the brotherly countries of Qatar and Türkiye in facilitating the talks.

The Doha dialogue, led by Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, focused on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghan soil and to restore calm along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Ambassador Andrabi said the upcoming meeting in Istanbul will focus on establishing a “concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism” to counter terrorism and prevent further loss of life.

He emphasized that Pakistan remains committed to peace and does not seek escalation but expects the Afghan Taliban authorities to “honor their commitments to the international community” by taking credible action against terrorist outfits such as the Fitna AlKhawaraj and Fitna Al Handustan, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) AND Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

“As a responsible state, Pakistan will continue to pursue dialogue and cooperation to promote regional stability,” Andrabi said, adding that Islamabad looks forward to the upcoming talks in Türkiye as an opportunity to strengthen mutual trust and address long-standing security concerns through diplomacy.