High-Stakes Diplomacy in Doha: Pakistan and Taliban Begin Critical Talks Amid Escalating Tensions

A pivotal round of negotiations between Pakistan and the Taliban is set to begin in Doha on Friday, sources confirmed to CNN-News18. The talks—brokered through a third-party mediator—come at a moment of mounting cross-border strain, largely driven by intensified attacks from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

According to senior diplomatic sources, Pakistan’s National Security Adviser and Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt. Gen. Asim Malik, is expected to meet Afghan Taliban Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob later today. Key ministers and senior security officials from both sides are also anticipated to join the deliberations, underscoring the gravity of the situation.

The Afghan delegation’s decision to travel to Qatar’s capital signals Kabul’s strategic intent to use the forum not merely for conflict resolution but also to assert its diplomatic legitimacy and pressure Islamabad toward formal recognition of the Taliban regime. For Kabul, participation itself is a symbolic act—an assertion of equality at the negotiating table and a rejection of what it perceives as Pakistan’s interference in Afghan internal affairs.

From Islamabad’s perspective, however, the Doha talks represent an urgent bid to stabilise Pakistan’s volatile western frontier. Facing a sharp rise in TTP-led violence across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Waziristan, Pakistan’s security establishment is grappling with mounting military fatigue and limited operational bandwidth to contain the insurgency unilaterally.

Sources suggest that a key item on the agenda will be a possible extension of the existing ceasefire—a reflection of Pakistan’s immediate security concerns. In return, Islamabad is expected to demand concrete assurances and concessions from the Taliban government to curb the TTP’s freedom of movement and support within Afghan territory.

The need for third-party mediation highlights how deeply strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul have become since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. While Pakistan’s primary objective remains securing counterterrorism commitments, the Taliban leadership is likely to use the platform to push its broader political and diplomatic agenda, seeking greater recognition and leverage on the international stage.

As both sides converge in Doha under growing international scrutiny, the outcome of these talks could shape not only Pakistan-Afghanistan relations but also the security landscape of the broader South and Central Asian region.