Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a high-stakes telephonic conversation on Tuesday to coordinate a response to the dual crises currently destabilizing the region: the burgeoning war in the Middle East and the intense military standoff between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban.
Turkish Mediation for Pak-Afghan Ceasefire
President Erdogan officially offered Turkiye’s services to “contribute to the re-establishment of the ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan.” This follows the breakdown of previous Doha-based mediation efforts and the launch of Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq on February 26.
President @RTErdogan spoke by phone with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan.
The leaders discussed the Türkiye-Pakistan bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues.
Condemning the terror attacks carried out in Pakistan, President Erdoğan said Türkiye will…
— Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (@trpresidency) March 3, 2026
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The Stance of Turkiye: President Erdogan condemned recent terror attacks in Pakistan and reaffirmed Turkiye’s support in the fight against terrorism, stressing that a return to diplomacy is essential for regional stability.
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Pakistan’s Conditions: Despite the mediation offer, senior Pakistani security officials have clarified that operations inside Afghanistan will remain “unabated” until the Taliban regime provides “verifiable guarantees” that they have ceased facilitating Fitna al-Khawarij (TTP) and Fitna al-Hindustan.
Solidarity with Gulf Nations and De-escalation in Iran
PM Shehbaz Sharif apprised the Turkish President of his recent outreach to Gulf leaders following the “regrettable” missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.
Had a telephone conversation this evening with my very dear brother President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of the Republic of Turkiye, to discuss the escalating situation in the Middle East.
I strongly condemned the Israeli attack on Iran and the subsequent regrettable attacks on…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) March 3, 2026
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Condemnation of Strikes: Both leaders strongly condemned the initial Israeli attack on Iran and the subsequent violation of Gulf sovereignties.
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Call for Restraint: The two leaders agreed that “maximum restraint” by all parties is imperative to prevent a total regional collapse. The PM reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to play a constructive role in promoting dialogue between Tehran and its neighbors.
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Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq: “No Hurry” to Conclude
The meeting comes as a senior security official stated that Pakistan is “in no hurry” to wind up military actions in Afghanistan. The official emphasized that the PAF and Ground Forces are targeting specific, intelligence-driven infrastructure supportive of terrorist groups, rather than random targets. The duration of the operation remains strictly conditional on the Afghan Taliban’s actions on the ground.
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