Sources in Turkey have told Ariana News that the Afghan delegation at the Istanbul talks shared its views with the mediators, but the Pakistani side raised certain demands that have no connection to Afghanistan.

According to the sources, the Islamabad delegation asked Afghanistan to relocate the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group from Pakistan into Afghanistan.

The sources added that it is weird that, on one hand, Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of sheltering TTP members within its territory, yet on the other hand, it is itself requesting the transfer of such groups like the TTP into Afghanistan.

The sources emphasized that Afghanistan never wishes to create a major problem for itself under pressure.

According to the sources, the legitimate demands of the Islamic Emirate that Pakistan’s territory and airspace not be used by other country or by Daesh against Afghanistan — have not been accepted by Islamabad.

This comes as Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Tahir Andrabi said that a new round of talks with the Islamic Emirate began yesterday in Istanbul, during which the Pakistani delegation presented its evidence-based demands to the mediators with the aim of ending militant attacks.

Andrabi said at a press conference on Friday that the mediators are currently holding discussions with IEA regarding Pakistan’s demands.

Gul Hassan Hassan, the Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate to Russia, met with Ilya Rogachev, the Special Representative of the President of Russia for International Criminal and Legal Cooperation, to discuss the role and position of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

According to a statement released by the Afghan Embassy in Moscow, the two sides exchanged views on issues related to the International Criminal Court, including its activities, status, and role as an international institution.

The statement added that the recent decisions of the ICC were also reviewed during the meeting.

It has been reported that Anton Lavrov, Head of the Afghanistan Department in the Second Asian Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was also present at the meeting.

This meeting comes after the Islamic Emirate previously announced the cancellation of Afghanistan’s membership in the Court, stating that history has shown the ICC acts based on political motives rather than the principles of justice and fairness.

ICC is an independent judicial body established to address serious international crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

The Court operates under the Rome Statute and its jurisdiction applies only to countries that have accepted this statute.

India plans to set up a research center in Afghanistan under the name “Afghan–Hindu,” aimed at advancing agricultural research and building local capacity.

 The matter was revealed as India’s charge d’affaires in Kabul, Karan Yadav, met with Ataullah Omari, Afghan Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, according to a statement released by the ministry.

Speaking at the meeting, Omari noted that Afghanistan, in addition to enduring more than four decades of conflict, is severely affected by climate change. Droughts and crop pests have significantly reduced both the quantity and quality of the country’s agricultural output. He stressed the urgent need for scientific research to develop climate-resilient crop varieties.

In response, the Indian diplomat pledged that his country would work on establishing the “Afghan–Hindu” research center, and would support new projects in the sector. He also promised to organize both in-person and online training programs to strengthen the skills of Ministry of Agriculture specialists.

The Afghan Minister of Agriculture called for India’s assistance in equipping laboratories, constructing check dams, and enhancing livestock quality control and animal health laboratories. He also requested support in facilitating visas for Afghan traders exporting agricultural and livestock products to India.

Karan Yadav assured that all the issues raised would be followed through diplomatic channels and implemented in the near future.