Islamabad: (TDI): Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced on Friday that talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban on curbing cross-border terrorism have concluded without progress, describing the dialogue as having entered an “indefinite phase”.
He confirmed that the ceasefire remains in place for the time being, but warned of a strong response if violations occur.
“Right now, as we speak, negotiations are over,” Asif said during an appearance on Geo News program “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath”. He added that the discussions had failed to bridge deep differences between the two sides.
Officials later confirmed that the third round of talks, held in Istanbul, had stalled without agreement. “The talks in Istanbul are deadlocked,” a senior security source said, noting that both sides had reached a complete impasse, Dawn reported. The two-day dialogue, which began on Thursday, was expected to build on earlier rounds held in Doha.
According to the defense minister, the Afghan delegation arrived without a clear plan and declined to sign any written document. “They said they would only respect a verbal understanding, but there is no room for that,” Asif remarked. He added that in previous rounds, Afghan negotiators had sought additional meetings but failed to deliver on earlier commitments.
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“Our return empty-handed shows a lack of seriousness from their side,” Asif said, cautioning that any future attacks from Afghan soil would invite a ‘befitting response’. He stressed that Pakistan’s sole demand was the cessation of cross-border attacks.
The Pakistani delegation was led by ISI Director General Lt. Gen. Asim Malik and included senior officials from the military, intelligence, and Foreign Office. The Afghan Taliban delegation, headed by GDI Chief Abdul Haq Waseq, included Suhail Shaheen, Anas Haqqani, and Deputy Interior Minister Rehmatullah Najib.
The Istanbul talks, mediated by Turkiye and Qatar, were convened after border clashes in early October that left several soldiers and civilians dead on both sides. The first round in Doha led to a fragile ceasefire, while the second ended with a broad commitment to create a mechanism for verifying compliance. The Istanbul round was intended to finalise that mechanism but failed to do so.
Reports from Istanbul suggest the Pakistani delegation left the city after the talks broke down, with no direct meetings held between the delegations on the final day. Mediators met both sides separately in an effort to break the deadlock.
Read More: Third Round of High-Stakes Pak-Afghan Talks Kicks Off in Istanbul Today
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi reiterated that Pakistan had presented its case in a “comprehensive and evidence-based manner”. “Our delegation handed over justified and logical demands to the mediators with the sole objective of ending cross-border terrorism,” he said. “They are now discussing Pakistan’s concerns point by point with the Afghan delegation.”
