ISLAMABAD: Pakistani officials have officially ruled out any further peace talks with the Afghan Taliban after the recent Istanbul dialogue ended without progress. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that the Turkey-mediated negotiation mechanism has now collapsed, as mediators have withdrawn following repeated failures to reach an agreement.
Asif stated that although the Afghan delegation verbally agreed to Pakistan’s concerns, they refused to provide a written commitment. He warned that any future attacks from Afghan soil will be met with a strong military response.
The defence minister described the peace process aimed at ending cross-border terrorism as entering an “indefinite phase” due to deep and unresolved divisions between both sides.
According to Asif, the Afghan Taliban delegation once again arrived at the Istanbul meeting without a concrete proposal and continued to rely on verbal assurances. “Returning empty-handed has reinforced our mistrust,” he remarked. “If attacks flare up from their territory, Pakistan will respond firmly based on the gravity of the situation.”
He also criticized Kabul for making unreasonable demands to avoid accountability, stressing that Pakistan’s main condition remains the cessation of terrorist attacks originating from Afghan territory.
The Pakistani delegation, led by the ISI chief, included senior officials from the military, intelligence, and foreign ministry. The Afghan Taliban side was represented by GDI chief Abdul Haq Waseq, Suhail Shaheen, Anas Haqqani, and Deputy Interior Minister Rehmatullah Najib.
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Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan government of sheltering Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants responsible for deadly attacks inside the country. Islamabad insists that it has presented “evidence-based and justified demands” to end cross-border terrorism but has received little cooperation from Kabul so far.
