Pakistan-Afghanistan Talks Deadlock Amid Border Clashes

Talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul have stalled, Islamabad confirmed on Friday, a day after both sides traded blame for deadly border clashes that risked shattering a fragile ceasefire brokered by Qatar.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said negotiations had reached “a deadlock” as violence continued along the frontier. He thanked Turkiye and Qatar for mediating but accused the Afghan Taliban of failing to uphold its 2021 Doha commitments to curb terrorism.

Tarar added that Pakistan “will not support any steps by the Taliban government that harm regional peace,” stressing Islamabad’s intent to protect its sovereignty while still seeking stability for Afghans.

The tensions flared after Afghan officials said four civilians were killed and five wounded when Pakistani and Afghan troops exchanged fire along their shared border. Pakistan’s foreign ministry, however, claimed Afghanistan initiated the attack, saying its forces only responded in self-defence.

Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Asim Malik is leading Islamabad’s delegation in Istanbul, while Afghanistan’s team is headed by Abdul Haq Wasiq, the country’s intelligence chief. Mediators are reportedly reviewing Pakistan’s list of demands aimed at ending cross-border militant attacks.

The border has seen escalating clashes since early October, leaving dozens dead on both sides. The United Nations reported that at least 50 civilians were killed and more than 400 wounded in Afghanistan, while Pakistan said 23 soldiers had lost their lives.

Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering fighters from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has claimed several recent attacks inside Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban deny harbouring the group.

Despite an agreement last week to create a joint monitoring mechanism, violence has persisted — underscoring the deep mistrust that continues to define relations between the two neighbours.