New Delhi. Along with the tension on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the war of words is also going on. Although the ceasefire agreement was signed between the two sides with the mediation of Qatar and Turkey, the situation does not seem to be changing much. A meeting was held in Istanbul on 30 October to assess the ceasefire situation between Afghanistan and Pakistan. This meeting was already scheduled. During the ceasefire agreement itself, it was decided when the next meeting with the mediators would take place. After the meeting, a joint statement has also emerged on the talks held between Afghanistan and Pakistan with the mediation of Turkey and Qatar. “Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey and Qatar held meetings in Istanbul from 25-30 October 2025 with the aim of consolidating the ceasefire that was agreed upon by Afghanistan and Pakistan in Doha on 18-19 October 2025,” the joint statement said.
The statement further said that all sides have agreed to continue the ceasefire. Further modalities of implementation will be discussed and decided at a key level meeting in Istanbul on 6 November. All parties have agreed to establish a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and impose penalties on the violating party. As mediators, Turkey and Qatar express their appreciation for the active contributions of both sides and are ready to continue cooperation with both sides for lasting peace and stability.
Afghanistan’s acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, while delivering a speech in Kabul on Thursday, warned Islamabad that Kabul will not tolerate any act of aggression. Haqqani said, “There may be problems in Afghanistan, but the country is united against any foreign aggressor. Protecting our territory is one of our biggest priorities.”
The statement came less than 24 hours after Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif reportedly gave a stern warning to the Afghan Taliban. Asif had said that they could test Islamabad’s intentions “to their own detriment”. Pakistan need not use even “a small part” of its entire arsenal to “completely eliminate” the Taliban and send them back into caves to hide.
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