Agenda at Istanbul

The second round of talks being held in Istanbul today to iron out the differences between Pakistan and Afghanistan must see rationality take roots. The good offices of Qatar and Turkiye that have mediated in ensuring a ceasefire, which is still holding, are an asset and the onus rests on the Afghan Taliban to come out of their paranoid mindset and take the necessary steps to usher peace and security in the region.

The new narrative from Taliban 2.0 that there are no non-state actors on Afghan soil is nothing but a blatant lie, and a crude negation of reality. Terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan are an open secret, and remain the bone of contention between the two neighbours. The dispensation in Kabul is on record having been reprimanded by regional states at the recent Moscow Format dialogue for harbouring dreaded elements, and the regime had promised to flush them out. Likewise, the Afghan Taliban time and again courted the TTP, and the likes, at public forums intended at brokering a thaw with the disgruntled folks. This denial is unbecoming of a responsible state, and is in need of course-correction.

The single point agenda at Turkiye parleys is to establish a "concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism" to curb cross-border terrorism. That is essential in the context of broader security prospects of the region. Mega-business projects and connectivity have almost come to a naught owing to uncertainty and lawlessness in Afghanistan, and have stalled trans-regional initiatives such as CPEC, CASA-1000, TAPI and train linkages across the Southwest and Central Asia. A consensus on exterminating TTP and other non-state actors, followed up with the necessary action, would not only secure Pakistan from further bloodshed, but also boost the Afghan regime's own confidence in the governance apparatus.

Pakistan on its part has done everything possible to facilitate the Afghans, and reopening of the check-posts for transit trade is a case in point. Time for the movers and shakers in Kabul to acknowledge the indispensability of peace, and assert their writ in a forthcoming manner. That stands to win Afghanistan the goodwill from the regional states and beyond.