ISTANBUL: The collapse of the Istanbul Talks was unrelated to Pakistan’s diplomacy; rather, it stemmed from deep internal divisions and behind-the-scenes power struggles within the Afghan regime, sources revealed to Azaad Digital.
Sources privy to development disclosed that from the very first session, it became evident that the Afghan delegation was not negotiating with a unified voice.
Three competing blocs including Kandahar, Kabul, and Khost were reportedly feeding separate instructions to their delegates, creating confusion and internal contradictions throughout the process.
The Turning Point
Sources said that when the talks advanced to the stage of written guarantees on the issue of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) safe havens, the Kandahar faction had quietly indicated a willingness to move forward. However, during a break, the Kabul group suddenly introduced what insiders describe as a “manufactured complication.”
They unexpectedly declared that “no agreement can be signed unless the United States joins as a formal guarantor”, sources claimed.
This condition, sources confirmed, was not part of the agenda and had never been raised in previous rounds. Afghan social media posts discussing US drone activity were cited as indirect evidence of this abrupt shift.
Mediators were caught off guard, as the new demand had little to do with security assurances. Instead, it was viewed as an attempt to reopen a financial corridor through Washington.
According to participants, another source said, the Afghan side tried to turn a bilateral security negotiation into a three-party donor-linked arrangement, effectively transforming the security file into a bargaining chip for future aid.
Internal Drama Behind Closed Doors
Witnesses described scenes of confusion within the Afghan delegation. “One delegate was seen receiving instructions on a handwritten note from a handler sitting outside the official team. Another frequently left the room to speak by phone with contacts in Kabul,” a witness on the condition of anonymity said.
After each such exchange, sources said, previously agreed clauses were suddenly reopened, cleared points were put “under review,” and deliberations were deliberately prolonged.
With this attitude of the Afghan delegate, it soon became clear that the intention was to stall progress until external actors, including India could be drawn into the process, rather than to achieve a genuine settlement.
Why They Want the US Involved
Sources familiar with the discussions told Azaad Digital that the push for an American “guarantor” was not about sovereignty, but about financial reinsertion.
“If the US is added, the Taliban can claim cooperation; if cooperation begins, talks for economic assistance can reopen; and once the money flows, internal pressures ease,” one insider explained.
In other words, instead of countering the TTP, certain factions within the Afghan regime appear to be monetizing its existence to revive a flow of dollars.
Mediators’ Private Assessment
Both Qatari and Turkish facilitators privately acknowledged three key points, according to sources.
They facilitators acknowledged that Pakistan’s demands remain legitimate and aligned with international norms and that the Afghan side is not obstructed by substance, but by internal insecurity.
The Kabul faction specifically seeks to drag the issue toward Washington for financial leverage, the third key point acknowledged by facilitators.
Bottom Line
Insiders concluded that the Istanbul talks did not fail due to diplomatic shortcomings, but because of internal divisions within the Afghan power structure.
The regime, they say, remains split between rival factions, some eager to pull the US back into the fold to restart the dollar pipeline, while others resist taking decisive action against the TTP, which they view as both a bargaining chip and a guarantee of continued Indian financial support. Until Kabul resolves its internal power struggle and stops using terrorism as political currency, sources told Azaad Digital, meaningful progress in the peace process remains impossible.
