Pakistan–Afghanistan peace talks in Istanbul fail amid rising border tensions

Pakistan-Afghanistan Peace Talks Collapse as Border Tensions Persist

Peace negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul have ended without an agreement, as both sides trade accusations over the breakdown in talks aimed at resolving escalating border tensions, officials announced Saturday.

The two-day negotiations, mediated by Turkey and Qatar, represented the third round of diplomatic efforts between the neighboring countries since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021. Despite intense back-channel diplomacy, discussions stalled late Friday without meaningful progress.

“The talks are over,” Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Geo News on Friday, adding that the Pakistani delegation was returning home with “no plan for any future meetings.” He noted that the ceasefire would remain in place as long as “it is not violated from the Afghan side.”

Afghanistan’s government spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, blamed Pakistan for the talks’ failure. Speaking at a press conference from Kandahar on Saturday, Mujahid said “Pakistan’s demands in the negotiations were unreasonable and the talks could not proceed, the meeting ended and the talks are at a standstill for now.”

Tensions have escalated dramatically in recent weeks following deadly border clashes that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians. The violence erupted after explosions in Kabul on October 9, which Afghanistan’s Taliban government claimed were drone strikes conducted by Pakistan. The fighting subsided only after Qatar brokered a ceasefire on October 19, which remains precariously in place.

Asif claimed the Afghan delegation arrived “without any program” and refused to sign a written agreement, insisting instead on verbal assurances. “They said they would respect a verbal agreement, but there is no room for that,” he stated. “There is no plan or hope for any fourth round of talks. Talks have entered an indefinite pause.”

While maintaining that Afghanistan “does not want insecurity in the region,” Mujahid warned that “if war breaks out, we have the right to defend ourselves.” He reiterated that Afghanistan “will not allow anyone to use its territory against another country, nor permit actions that undermine its sovereignty or security.”

The collapse of talks comes amid reports that four civilians were killed and five others wounded in cross-border clashes despite the ongoing negotiations.

At the heart of the dispute lies Pakistan’s accusation that Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers are harboring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for a surge in attacks inside Pakistan since 2021. Kabul has consistently denied these allegations, insisting it does not allow its territory to be used against other countries.

Although separate from Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban, the TTP shares ideological ties with the Afghan Taliban and has been emboldened since the latter’s takeover of Kabul. The TTP is designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the United Nations.

Earlier this month, Pakistan’s military claimed it carried out airstrikes on TTP hideouts inside Afghanistan, reportedly killing dozens of insurgents. Afghan officials denied these claims, saying civilians were among the casualties, and stated that Afghan forces had struck Pakistani military posts in retaliation, killing 58 soldiers. Pakistan’s military acknowledged losing 23 troops in the fighting.

The violence prompted Qatar to invite delegations from both sides to Doha, where they agreed to a ceasefire on October 19. This was followed by six days of talks in Istanbul, which resulted in an agreement to extend the truce and hold a third round on November 6-7 — negotiations that ultimately failed to produce any breakthrough.

Since the outbreak of hostilities, Pakistan has kept most border crossings with Afghanistan closed, though it partially reopened the main Torkham crossing last week to allow stranded Afghan refugees to return home. The closure, imposed on October 12, has disrupted vital trade and transit routes, stranding thousands of people and hundreds of trucks loaded with goods on both sides of the frontier.

The border dispute has exacerbated an already tense relationship complicated by Pakistan’s nationwide campaign to deport undocumented foreigners, primarily Afghans. Since 2023, authorities report that more than a million Afghan nationals have been sent back as part of the repatriation drive.

As diplomatic channels appear to have stalled, the future of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations remains uncertain, with significant implications for regional stability and the ongoing fight against militant groups operating in the border regions.