Taliban Administration Says Talks with Pakistan Continue Amid Diplomatic Efforts
The Taliban administration’s deputy spokesperson has stated that the door for talks with Pakistan remains open, and efforts to reduce tensions between Kabul and Islamabad through diplomatic channels continue. He described some of Pakistan’s demands as “unrealistic,” adding that progress in negotiations is possible if Islamabad revises these points.
Hamdullah Fetrat, in an interview with the BBC, emphasized that Afghanistan’s demands are clear: respect for its territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and an end to attacks on the Afghan people. According to him, problems can be resolved through understanding and dialogue, but some of Pakistan’s demands are impractical and beyond Afghanistan’s capacity.
He also rejected Pakistan’s allegations that security-threatening groups operate from Afghan soil, stating that Afghanistan will not allow its territory to be used against any country. Fetrat added that the issue of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is an internal matter for Pakistan and should not be attributed to Afghanistan. He pointed out that this group, along with the Baloch Liberation Movement, have been active inside Pakistan for years and are not new phenomena.
Meanwhile, an informed source told the media that informal talks between Kabul and Islamabad, previously held in Istanbul, Turkey, are expected to resume soon in Kabul. The source noted that these meetings were supposed to take place earlier but were delayed due to some challenges on Pakistan’s side.
Despite Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and China hosting consultative meetings between representatives of both sides after rising tensions, these efforts have yet to yield tangible progress in resolving fundamental disputes between Kabul and Islamabad. At the same time, critics believe that the Taliban administration needs a clearer and more accountable foreign policy to build internal consensus and regional trust so that such negotiations can achieve sustainable results.
