ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson Ambassador Tahir Hussain Andrabi said on Friday that Pakistan had handed over its evidence-based demands to mediators during the Istanbul peace talks with the Afghan Taliban, aimed solely at ending cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban resumed peace negotiations in Istanbul on Thursday — the third round of discussions following earlier failed attempts to reach a lasting truce. The ongoing talks are being held under the joint mediation of Turkiye and Qatar.
Read More: Turkiye, Qatar back Pakistan in Istanbul talks
Addressing his weekly media briefing, Ambassador Andrabi stated that Pakistan’s delegation presented its justified and logical demands, backed by concrete evidence, to the mediators. “The mediators have fully endorsed Pakistan’s stance based on the evidence provided, as well as on the tenets of international law and principles,” he said.
He added that the mediators are now engaging with the Afghan Taliban delegation point by point to review Pakistan’s demands. Andrabi also urged the media to disregard misleading information circulating on social media, particularly from Afghan-linked accounts, calling such reports “speculative or part of a deliberate disinformation campaign.”
Read More: Pakistan urges Afghan Taliban to curb cross-border terrorism
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated last month after the Afghan Taliban launched unprovoked attacks on Pakistani border positions during the night of October 11–12, 2025. Although both sides agreed to a temporary ceasefire in Doha on October 19, the second round of Istanbul talks last week ended without significant progress due to the Taliban’s reluctance to act against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operating inside Afghanistan.