Peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul have ended without any agreement, with both sides accusing each other of derailing negotiations meant to ease border tensions and maintain a fragile ceasefire, officials said Saturday.
Tensions have flared in recent weeks after deadly border clashes left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead. The fighting erupted following Oct. 9 explosions in Kabul, which the Taliban government said were Pakistani drone strikes and vowed to retaliate. Although Qatar helped broker a ceasefire on Oct. 19, it remains shaky.
Afghan government spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid blamed Islamabad for the breakdown, calling Pakistan’s demands “unreasonable.” Speaking in Kandahar on Saturday, Mujahid said Afghanistan “does not want insecurity in the region,” but warned that “if war breaks out, we will defend ourselves.” He also reaffirmed that Afghanistan “will not allow anyone to use its soil against another country.”
No breakthrough after third round of talks
The two-day talks, mediated by Turkey and Qatar, marked the third round of dialogue between the neighbors since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover. Despite intensive back-channel efforts, officials confirmed the discussions stalled late Friday without progress.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Geo News that the talks had “ended without results,” and the delegation was returning home “with no plan for further meetings.” He said the ceasefire would remain in effect as long as “it is not violated from the Afghan side.”
Islamabad has long accused Kabul of sheltering the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has carried out a series of attacks inside Pakistan since 2021. The Taliban administration denies the allegation, saying it does not permit cross-border militancy.
Mujahid dismissed claims linking the TTP to Kabul, noting the group’s formation predates the Taliban’s return to power.
4 Afghan civilians killed in border clash amid peace talks with Pakistan
Clashes and civilian casualties continue
The failure of the Istanbul talks came a day after Afghan officials reported that four civilians were killed and five injured in new cross-border clashes. Asif said the Afghan side arrived “without a concrete plan” and refused to sign a written agreement, offering only verbal assurances. “There is no scope for such understandings,” he said, adding that there is “no prospect for a fourth round of talks anytime soon.”
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s military said it had launched airstrikes on TTP hideouts inside Afghanistan, killing dozens of militants. Afghan authorities rejected the claim, alleging civilian deaths and reporting retaliatory strikes that killed 58 Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan acknowledged losing 23 troops.
The violence led Qatar to mediate a temporary ceasefire on Oct. 19, followed by six days of talks in Istanbul that ended with a plan to extend the truce and hold the latest round on Nov. 6–7 — which collapsed without any breakthrough.
Border closures and deportations heighten strain
Since the clashes, Pakistan has closed all its border crossings with Afghanistan, partially reopening the key Torkham point last week to allow stranded Afghans to return home. The closure, enforced on Oct. 12, has severely disrupted trade, leaving hundreds of cargo trucks stuck on both sides and cutting off one of the busiest trade routes linking South and Central Asia.
At the same time, Pakistan has intensified a nationwide campaign to deport undocumented foreigners — mostly Afghans. Authorities say more than a million Afghans have been repatriated since 2023 under the drive.
Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to face a surge in militant attacks claimed by the TTP, which is designated as a terrorist organization by both the United Nations and the United States.
Source: AP