Pakistan has indicated readiness to restart negotiations with the Taliban following the collapse of peace talks in Istanbul earlier this week, Samaa TV reported Thursday. Diplomatic sources said Islamabad's negotiating team agreed to resume discussions at the request of mediators from Turkey and Qatar.

The Pakistani delegation had initially prepared to return home after the Istanbul round ended without progress. Both sides accused each other of lacking seriousness and walked away from the table amid growing distrust and frustration, according to Pakistani media outlets.

Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif escalated tensions on Wednesday, warning that Pakistan“could destroy the Taliban completely” if cross-border attacks persisted. His remarks came shortly after he claimed that the group had become a“proxy for India,” intensifying the war of words between the two neighbours.

In response, Taliban Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Nabi Omari said some“foreign-backed elements” were trying to impose war on Afghanistan. He insisted the Taliban remained ready to defend the country's sovereignty and accused Pakistan of undermining regional peace through repeated threats.

Pakistani side stated that the breakdown of the Istanbul talks reflected deep divisions over counterterrorism cooperation, particularly Islamabad's demand for action against Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Taliban negotiators reportedly refused to sign a written pledge to curb the group's operations inside Afghanistan territory.

Diplomatic observers said the renewed willingness to negotiate stems from pressure by Turkey and Qatar, both eager to prevent an armed escalation along the volatile Afghan-Pakistani area. The mediators are believed to be pushing for a temporary ceasefire framework to allow further dialogue.

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