peace talks with Afghanistan ‘failed’

AFP | Islamabad

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Pakistan said yesterday that peace talks with Afghanistan had failed, in a blow to hopes for a lasting truce after the South Asian neighbours’ deadliest border clashes in years.

The violence, which killed more than 70 people and wounded hundreds, erupted following explosions in Kabul on October 9 that the Taliban authorities blamed on Pakistan.

Both sides had been holding talks in Istanbul aimed at securing peace. “Regrettably, the Afghan side gave no assurances, kept deviating from the core issue and resorted to blame game, deflection and ruses,” Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on X after four days of negotiations brokered by Qatar and Turkey.

“The dialogue thus failed to bring about any workable solution.”

Tarar said Pakistan engaged with Afghanistan in the spirit of peace, but accused Kabul of “unabated support to anti-Pakistan terrorists”.

“We will continue to take all possible measures necessary to protect our people from the menace of terrorism,” he added.

Hours later, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned on X that “any terrorist attack or any suicide bombing inside Pakistan shall give you the bitter taste of such misadventures”.

Afghanistan has not commented so far.

It is not clear whether negotiators from both sides remain in Istanbul, and the Turkish foreign ministry did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.

Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesman for Afghanistan’s interior ministry, told Afghan media outlet Ariana News on Tuesday that any attack would be met with a response “that will serve as a lesson for Pakistan and a message for others”.

Relations between the one-time allies, who share a 2,600-kilometre (1,600-mile) frontier, have soured in recent years over accusations from Islamabad that Afghanistan harbours militant groups which stage attacks in Pakistan.

Of particular concern is the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad accuses the Taliban authorities of allowing to use Afghan territory as a “training-cum-logistic base and jump off point for terrorist activities”.

The Taliban government has consistently denied the allegations.