The second round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban is scheduled to take place in Istanbul tomorrow (Thursday) as per plan, with Pakistan expected to press for an end to cross-border terrorism originating from Afghan soil.

Both sides will meet in Istanbul under the pre-agreed schedule, sources said, adding that the discussions are likely to finalise the mechanism for enforcing a ceasefire agreement reached earlier.

The sources added that if the Afghan Taliban delegation is led by a senior minister, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will also travel to Istanbul to join the talks.

The final decision on Pakistan’s delegation head will depend on the composition of the Afghan side, while the National Security Adviser is also expected to be part of the Pakistani team.

Pakistan is set to deliver a clear message during the talks, urging that Afghan territory must not be used for any form of terrorism against Pakistan.

It may be recalled that both countries had earlier agreed — under the mediation of Türkiye and Qatar — to maintain the ceasefire and establish a monitoring and verification mechanism to oversee its implementation.

The system would also have the authority to penalise any party found violating the ceasefire terms.

Tensions between the two neighbours had escalated after cross-border attacks were launched from Afghanistan on the night of October 11.

Subsequently, on October 19, both sides reached a ceasefire agreement in Doha, paving the way for renewed dialogue facilitated by Türkiye and Qatar.

The second round of Istanbul talks is expected to finalise the terms and procedures for the ceasefire, potentially laying the groundwork for sustained peace along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.