A high-level Taliban delegation led by Afghanistan’s Defence Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid has arrived in Doha, Qatar, for crucial peace talks with Pakistan on Saturday, October 18, 2025.
The Afghan delegation also includes the country’s Intelligence Director, Mullah Abdul Haq Wasiq.
Background to the Talk.
The Qatar-mediated negotiations come amid the worst violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021.
Recent weeks have seen fierce ground fighting between the former allies and Pakistani airstrikes across their contested 2,600-kilometer border, resulting in significant casualties on both sides.
Reports indicate nearly 200 Afghans and approximately 60 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in the recent escalation.
Key Issues and Tensions
Pakistan’s delegation, led by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and including ISI Chief General Asim Malik, arrived in Doha to discuss immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Islamabad has demanded that the Taliban government rein in militants who have carried out attacks from what they claim are staging grounds inside Afghanistan.
The Taliban has denied providing haven to militants and instead accused Pakistan of spreading misinformation, provoking border tensions, and sheltering militants linked to the Islamic State. Tensions escalated further when Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Paktika province that reportedly killed at least 10-17 civilians, including three Afghan cricketers, breaking a temporary ceasefire that had been agreed upon.
Ceasefire Extension.
Both countries agreed to extend their 48-hour truce for the duration of the Doha talks as they seek to resolve the crisis.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid urged Taliban forces to refrain from new movements despite reserving the right to respond to Pakistani strikes, to preserve the dignity of the negotiating team.
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