Islamabad, December 5, 2025 – Pakistan stands fully ready to receive a high-level Turkish mediation delegation, but the visit has been delayed because of scheduling issues and a lack of cooperation from the Taliban regime, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters during the weekly briefing on Friday.
The statement comes amid continuing efforts by Turkiye and Qatar to ease tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, while a fragile ceasefire linked to the talks has already faltered over persistent terrorist activities from Afghan soil.
Weekly Press Briefing by the Spokesperson @TahirAndrabi
Border Closure between Pakistan and Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/3IRxmMehpf
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) December 5, 2025
Key Highlights
FO: “Pakistan welcomed President Erdogan’s mediation initiative and remains open – the delay is not because of us.”
Turkish delegation visit still unscheduled; spokesperson said the Taliban side should be asked for the real reason.
Separate Saudi mediation track continues, though last Sunday’s unannounced Riyadh talks ended without breakthrough.
Pakistan greenlights phased UN humanitarian aid to Afghanistan: food first, then medicines, followed by education and health essentials.
Regular trade and border crossings remain closed until Kabul stops cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan Firm on Principle, Open to Dialogue
Andrabi made it clear that Pakistan has never been the obstacle. “Let me emphasise – it is not attributable to Pakistan’s cooperation that the Turkish delegation has not arrived yet,” he said, adding that any objective mediation would naturally recognise Islamabad’s legitimate security concerns.
On the humanitarian front, the government has swiftly responded to United Nations requests by approving controlled movement of aid containers in three carefully managed phases. “The people of Afghanistan are our brothers and sisters – we intend them no harm,” the spokesperson stressed.
Yet the broader border closure and suspension of routine trade will stay in place. “That decision has a specific context and still stands until the Afghan Taliban regime supports our demand to stop the flow of terrorists into Pakistan,” he added.
With Turkiye, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia all engaged in separate peacemaking tracks, Pakistan continues to welcome genuine third-party efforts – provided they address the core issue of terrorism emanating from Afghan territory. For now, the ball remains firmly in Kabul’s court.
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