Talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan aimed at achieving a lasting peace agreement have ended without any breakthrough. The failure marks another setback for regional stability following deadly clashes along the shared border earlier this month.
The discussions sought to reduce tensions between the two South Asian neighbors after the worst border violence since the Taliban took control of Kabul nearly four years ago. The first ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan was brokered in Doha on October 19. However, a second round of negotiations held in Istanbul and mediated by Turkey and Qatar concluded without progress.
According to officials, the Afghan Taliban refused to take action against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group hostile to Pakistan. Islamabad has repeatedly claimed that TTP operates freely from Afghan territory and continues to launch cross-border attacks.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar confirmed the outcome of the talks through a post on X (formerly Twitter). He reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to continue its counterterrorism operations to eliminate militants and their supporters. Tarar also said Pakistan had frequently urged the Afghan Taliban to honor their written commitments under the Doha Agreement, but those appeals were ignored.
The minister accused the Taliban regime of prioritizing its “war economy” over the welfare of the Afghan people. He emphasized that Pakistan has consistently sought peace and prosperity for Afghanistan but could no longer tolerate ongoing cross-border terrorism.
Sources confirmed that Pakistan presented solid evidence of terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil during the Istanbul talks. However, the Afghan side reportedly refused to take responsibility, instead shifting blame and avoiding key issues.
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Experts note that the talks failed mainly due to deep-rooted ideological ties between the Afghan Taliban and TTP. Analysts warn that any Taliban crackdown on TTP could push the group closer to Daesh, further destabilizing Afghanistan and increasing the threat to Pakistan.
