Turkish ministers to hold key talks in Pakistan after negotiations with Kabul fail

In a significant diplomatic development, Turkiye is dispatching a high-level delegation to Pakistan next week as tensions rise on multiple regional fronts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and National Intelligence Organization head İbrahim Kalın will travel to Islamabad to engage with Pakistani leadership on the issue of escalating friction between Pakistan and Afghanistan. 

Speaking to reporters on a flight home from Azerbaijan, Erdogan said the visit aims to “discuss tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan” and emphasised that Turkiye remains committed to supporting its regional partners amid a complex security environment. 

The upcoming visit comes at a delicate moment. Islamabad has repeatedly raised concerns about militants operating from Afghan territory targeting Pakistani soil, while Kabul rejects claims of harbouring such groups.

Turkiye, which has played a mediating role in earlier Pakistan-Afghanistan and Qatar-led truce mechanisms, appears to be ramping up its involvement to stabilise the situation. 

Erdogan also used the press encounter to underline Turkiye’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza, stating plans to send earthquake-relief containers and maximum support to the enclave, describing it as “not merely a matter of aid, but a matter of humanity.”

For Pakistan, the Turkish delegation’s arrival signals a deepening of the long standing bilateral relationship between Islamabad and Ankara. The two countries share strong strategic, defence and cultural ties, and this visit could pave the way for enhanced intelligence cooperation, border security coordination and potentially a renewed push for regional dialogue.

Observers say Ankara's proactive diplomacy may contribute to reducing misperceptions and assisting Islamabad in pressing Kabul for action on militant safe-havens.

As both sides prepare for the high-level meetings, key questions remain: how will Kabul respond, what concrete mechanisms might be agreed upon, and can Islamabad leverage Ankara’s mediation for a durable de-escalation? With regional security hanging in the balance, the Turkish visit to Pakistan may prove to be a pivotal moment in South Asian diplomacy.