DOHA: Pakistan and Afghanistan on Saturday concluded the first round of Qatar-mediated talks in Doha, focusing primarily on preventing cross-border infiltration by militant groups operating from Afghan territory, diplomatic sources told Geo News.
The next round of talks is scheduled to take place tomorrow morning in Doha. It is learnt that the Pakistani delegation was led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, accompanied by senior security officials, while the Afghan side was headed by Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob, with the intelligence chief also part of the team.
During the talks, Pakistan conveyed to the Afghan delegation that the presence of terrorist groups on Afghan soil was āunacceptableā.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier confirmed the high-level visit, stating that discussions would focus on immediate steps to curb cross-border terrorism and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border.
The two governments extended the 48-hour ceasefire on Friday to allow dialogue to continue. Pakistan reiterated its call for the Afghan Taliban to honour international commitments and take verifiable action against terrorist groups including TTP and BLA. The Foreign Office also appreciated Qatarās mediation efforts.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that Afghanistan had sent a high-level team for peace talks, led by Mullah Yaqoob.
Tensions have risen sharply between the neighbours following a recent unprovoked attack on October 12 by TTP and Taliban forces. Pakistan responded with targeted precision strikes in Kandahar and Kabul, killing over 200 militants.
In the wake of the ceasefire, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed Pakistanās willingness to engage in dialogue on reasonable terms.
Since the Talibanās return to power in 2021, cross-border terrorism has surged, especially in KP and Balochistan, with Pakistan urging Afghanistan to prevent its territory from being used for attacks.
