Javid Sargar, a senior Taliban intelligence official, says the latest round of talks between Pakistani and Taliban representatives in Turkey has ended without reaching an agreement, describing the behavior and attitude of the Pakistani delegation as “inappropriate and unproductive,” according to the Afghan side and mediators.
Citing sources present at the meeting, Sargar said that the Pakistani team “lacked internal coordination” during the negotiations and “used harsh language and disrespectful behavior,” which disrupted the atmosphere of the talks. He added that even mediators from Qatar and Turkey were reportedly surprised by some of the conduct and claims made by the Pakistani representatives.
According to Sargar’s report, the main point of contention centered on Islamabad’s demand for a written guarantee from the Taliban pledging “non-cooperation with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).” The Pakistani side asked the Taliban to bring TTP-linked groups inside Afghanistan under their control—a request that, Sargar said, even the mediators found surprising.
In response, the Taliban stated that the issue of the TTP is an “internal matter of Pakistan” and has no direct connection to Afghanistan. The Afghan delegation maintained that responsibility for controlling operations inside Pakistan lies with that country’s own government and security forces, but reaffirmed Afghanistan’s commitment to prevent its territory from being used against neighboring states.
Sargar added that the Afghan side also requested Pakistan to halt drone flights and operations targeting Afghanistan from Pakistani airspace or military bases, and to prevent foreign groups—including ISIS—from using Pakistani territory to attack Afghanistan. He claimed that while the Pakistani delegation initially agreed to these points, they later backtracked after consulting officials in Islamabad, saying they could not “prevent U.S. drone flights” or fully guarantee that ISIS elements would not operate from Pakistan.
According to Sargar, at one stage, Pakistani delegation head General Shahab Aslam opposed further discussion on drone-related issues, prompting a reaction and warning from the Qatari ambassador present at the talks. Following that exchange, the negotiations were halted, and both sides failed to issue a joint statement.
