ISTANBUL: The Pakistani delegation presented its final stance to representatives of the Afghan Taliban during the talks held in Istanbul.
The third round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban was held in Istanbul, Turkey.
According to sources, Pakistan made it clear that any form of patronage or support for terrorists by the Afghan Taliban is completely unacceptable.
It stressed that taking concrete and effective measures to eliminate terrorism is essential.
Security sources said that Pakistan said that the Taliban’s arguments were illogical and inconsistent with ground realities, saying they were pursuing an agenda that does not serve the stability of Afghanistan, Pakistan, or the wider region.
Progress in the talks now depends on the Taliban’s positive attitude, the sources quoted the Pakistani delegation as saying.
“Pakistan’s demands are clear, evidence-based, and aimed at finding a genuine solution to the issue,” the sources said adding that The Taliban’s stubbornness and lack of seriousness have become evident to all parties involved, particularly the hosts.
According to the sources, Pakistan adopted a firm stance, reiterating that there can be no compromise on core demands related to terrorism.
The sources said that the hosts are still making efforts to persuade the Taliban delegation to acknowledge ground realities and cooperate sincerely so the negotiations can yield meaningful results.
According to diplomatic sources, the Afghan Taliban are showing reluctance to sign a written agreement, making the situation increasingly complicated due to their lack of flexibility.
Diplomatic sources confirmed that Turkish official Ibrahim Kalin is attending today’s round of talks as a mediator. They said that the Taliban’s continued refusal to commit to a written accord has further stalled progress.
Earlier, Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban held nine hours of discussions on Saturday and more than 13 hours on Sunday, but the talks ended without any breakthrough.
During Sunday’s session — the second round of negotiations — the Pakistani delegation presented its final stance to the Afghan Taliban.
Sources said that Pakistan made it clear that it would not accept any support or shelter provided by the Afghan Taliban to terrorist groups.