Assalamualaikum - Talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan stall after days of negotiations
Assalamualaikum. KABUL - Peace discussions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have reached a standstill after several days of talks in Istanbul, state Afghan media reported, while tensions remain high along the shared border.
The meetings in Turkey, supported by Qatar, were part of a wider effort to secure a lasting truce after recent clashes along the border that left dozens dead on both sides - the deadliest confrontation in years. An earlier round of talks hosted by Qatar on Oct. 19 had produced a temporary ceasefire.
According to Radio Television Afghanistan, “The delegation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has tried to hold constructive, result-focused talks in Turkey. However, the Pakistani side seems unwilling to engage seriously.” The report said Pakistan’s team appeared more ready to pull back than to put forward solid arguments at the table.
A Pakistani security official speaking anonymously told reporters the Taliban administration had not given a satisfactory response to Islamabad’s demands, creating an impasse. The official said Kabul’s delegation accepts some of Pakistan’s concerns but is not fully ready to accept them and is consulting repeatedly with leaders back home.
Afghanistan’s ministries did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
Observers say the current instability between the two neighbours is linked to Islamabad’s ties with the United States. Abdul Hameed Jalili, a former refugee affairs attache to Pakistan, suggested vested external interests have at times benefited from regional instability, making resolution harder.
Border clashes along the Durand Line have happened for decades but grew worse after the Taliban regained control in 2021. Pakistan accuses Afghan authorities of sheltering fighters from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allowing cross-border attacks - allegations Kabul denies, saying it does not permit its soil to be used against other countries.
This month’s exchange of fire followed explosions in Kabul and Paktika, which Afghan officials blamed on the Pakistani military. Jalili said the dispute isn’t only about the TTP, arguing Pakistan has used various pretexts over time to influence developments in Afghanistan.
Analysts including Abdul Saboor Mubariz of the Center for Strategic and Regional Studies in Kabul say Pakistan seeks guarantees that Afghan territory won’t shelter groups that threaten it, while Afghanistan wants assurances foreign powers or groups won’t use Pakistani soil against Afghanistan. Without strong, verifiable guarantees from both sides, they warn, a durable peace deal will be hard to achieve.
May Allah protect the region and guide leaders toward a just and lasting peace. Wa alaikum assalam.
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