It’s possible that Pakistan is engaging in the current round of negotiations sincerely, perhaps as a last real attempt to give peace a chance. There might also be an element of optics involved, particularly to demonstrate to the GCC and other partners that Islamabad isn’t the obstacle to regional stability.
That said, I doubt the peace will hold for long. If the situation with Afghanistan deteriorates further, Pakistan might openly back efforts toward a regime change. It might be messy, but we need a more calibrated attempt with anti Taliban elements to reshape the political landscape to our advantage which might be easier said than done. I wonder where China stands in all this.
