Pakistan-Afghanistan peace talks in Istanbul collapse

Peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan held in Istanbul have ended without any agreement, as both sides blamed each other for the breakdown of negotiations aimed at easing border tensions and maintaining a fragile ceasefire, officials said Saturday.

Tensions between the two countries have intensified in recent weeks following deadly cross-border clashes that left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead. The fighting erupted after a series of explosions in Kabul on October 9, which Afghanistan’s Taliban government alleged were drone strikes carried out by Pakistan and vowed retaliation. The violence subsided after Qatar brokered a ceasefire on October 19, which remains fragile.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban government, blamed Islamabad for the failure of the talks, writing on X that “the irresponsible and non-cooperative attitude of the Pakistani delegation resulted in no outcome, despite the Islamic Emirate’s good intentions and the efforts of the mediators.”

Mujahid reiterated that Afghanistan “will not allow its soil to be used against any other country, nor tolerate actions that undermine its sovereignty or security.”

Talks collapse without progress

The two-day talks in Istanbul, mediated by Turkey and Qatar, marked the third round of peace negotiations — one of the most significant diplomatic efforts between the two neighbors since the Taliban took power in 2021. Despite intense back-channel discussions, officials said talks stalled late Friday without any tangible progress.

Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Geo News that the “talks are over” and the Pakistani delegation was returning home “with no plan for future meetings.” He added that the ceasefire would hold “as long as it is not violated from the Afghan side.”

Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers of sheltering the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for a surge in cross-border attacks since 2021. Kabul denies the allegation, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against other countries.

Renewed clashes despite ceasefire

The breakdown in talks came a day after Afghan officials reported that four civilians were killed and five others injured in cross-border shelling even as negotiations were underway.

Asif said the Afghan delegation arrived “without any program” and refused to sign a written agreement, offering only verbal assurances. “They said they would honor a verbal agreement, but there is no room for that,” he added. “There is no plan or hope for a fourth round of talks. Negotiations have entered an indefinite pause.”

Earlier this month, Pakistan’s military claimed to have carried out airstrikes on TTP hideouts inside Afghanistan, killing dozens of militants. Afghan officials denied the claim, saying civilians were among the dead, and reported that Afghan forces retaliated by striking Pakistani military positions, killing 58 soldiers. Pakistan acknowledged the loss of 23 troops in the fighting.

Border closures and deportations

Following the escalation, Pakistan shut all border crossings with Afghanistan on October 12, reopening the main Torkham crossing only last week to allow stranded Afghan refugees to return home.

The closure has severely disrupted trade and transit, leaving hundreds of trucks stranded on both sides of the frontier — one of South and Central Asia’s busiest economic arteries.

At the same time, Pakistan has intensified a nationwide campaign to deport undocumented foreigners, mostly Afghans. Since 2023, authorities say over one million Afghan nationals have been repatriated.

Pakistan has also seen a sharp rise in militant attacks, many claimed by the TTP, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Although separate from Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban, the TTP is closely linked to it and has grown increasingly active since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021.