Amid the heightened tensions between the two neighbouring countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan held the first round of talks mediated by Qatar in Doha, diplomatic sources told Geo News on Saturday.

They said the next round of Pak-Afghan talks — focusing on cross-border infiltration by militant groups based in Afghanistan — will be held in Doha tomorrow morning.

The insiders told Geo News that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif led the Pakistani delegation, while his Afghan counterpart Mullah Yaqoob spearheaded the country’s delegation.

Furthermore, sources said senior security officials accompanied the defence minister to support the negotiations. Meanwhile, the Afghan intelligence chief is also part of the Afghan delegation.

Pakistan told the Afghan delegation that the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan was “unacceptable”, sources added.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed a high-level delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was in Doha to hold talks with representatives of the Afghan Taliban.

The foreign ministry said that the talks will primarily focus on “immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan” and on restoring “peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border.”

“Pakistan does not seek escalation, urges the Afghan Taliban authorities to honour their commitments to the international community and address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns by taking verifiable action against terrorist entities, including the FAK/TTP and FAH/BLA,” the Foreign Office posted on X.

The ministry also appreciated the mediation efforts of Qatar and hopes these discussions contribute to peace and stability in the region.

Earlier, Zabiullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban government, had also confirmed that a high-level delegation from Afghanistan left for peace talks with Pakistan on Saturday in Doha.

“As promised, negotiations with the Pakistani side will take place today in Doha,” Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement, adding that the Kabul team was led by Defence Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob.

‘Doha agreement only option for Afghanistan’

Separately, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has asked the Afghan regime to abide by the Doha agreement — which bars the use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities, saying that it was the only way forward to end tensions.

Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, he noted that Pakistan had tried to ease tensions through every possible means — including diplomatic channels and military contacts — but to no avail.

Speaking about Qatar’s efforts, Talal said that for the first time, a third country is getting involved to convey that Afghanistan has to abide by the Doha agreement.

“The only positive way forward is that Afghanistan prohibits the use of its soil to all actors using it to stage acts of terror, as laid out in the Doha agreement.”

In response to a question, the state minister said that Afghans lack resolve and commitment. “Khawarij [terrorists] are trained and sponsored there before they enter Pakistan.”

“Now, Afghanistan is shaking hands with India and recognising [occupied] Kashmir as Indian territory. We kept saying they are proxies and now they have proven it,” he added.

He reiterated that Pakistan will maintain its stance and do whatever is necessary to defend its people and territorial integrity.

‘Heightened tensions’

The two neighbouring nations are witnessing heightened tensions amid the Afghan Taliban regime’s reluctance to act against terrorist groups, operating from Afghanistan soil, in the backdrop of rising terror attacks in Pakistan.

The Taliban forces and India-backed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), alias Fitna al-Khawarij, resorted to an unprovoked attack on Pakistan on October 12.

The Pakistan Armed Forces gave a befitting response to the aggression, killing over 200 Afghan Taliban and affiliated militants in a self-defence action. The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that 23 soldiers embraced martyrdom in the clashes with the Taliban forces and the terrorists.

Furthermore, the security forces also conducted “precision strikes” in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and the capital Kabul, successfully destroying multiple strongholds in response to recent aggression.

After the ceasefire, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan is ready to hold talks with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan on reasonable terms.

The country has witnessed a surge in cross-border terror incidents since Taliban rulers returned to Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan.

The two countries share a porous border spanning around 2,500 kilometres with several crossing points, which hold significance as a key element of regional trade and relations between the people across both sides of the fence.

However, the issue of terrorism remains a key issue for Pakistan, which has urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used by groups such as the banned TTP to carry out attacks inside the former’s territory.