ISLAMABAD – The talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan, held in Istanbul, have come to an abrupt end, with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announcing that the Pakistani delegation has returned home.
The negotiations, which were expected to address key bilateral issues, failed to make any significant progress, leaving both sides at an impasse.
Khawaja Asif confirmed that the next round of talks, previously anticipated, will not take place. He expressed disappointment over the outcome, stating that the Afghan delegation was unwilling to formalize agreements in writing. While they verbally agreed to the discussions, the Afghan team refused to commit to terms on paper, a crucial step in international negotiations.
“As we return empty-handed, it is clear that even the mediators—Turkiye and Qatar—have lost hope of making progress with Afghanistan. If they had any expectations, they would have urged us to stay,” said Asif. Despite this setback, the minister thanked Turkiye and Qatar for their sincere efforts as mediators, acknowledging their support for Pakistan’s stance throughout the talks.
The collapse of the negotiations signals a tough road ahead for Pakistan, with Asif stating that if Afghanistan’s territory is used for attacks against Pakistan, the country will respond appropriately. However, he made it clear that Pakistan is committed to maintaining a ceasefire, provided there are no violations from the Afghan side.
“The only thing we ask for is that Afghanistan refrains from using its territory to attack Pakistan. If that condition is met, we will maintain the ceasefire,” Asif added.
This deadlock marks a significant development in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, as both sides will now need to reassess their approach moving forward.
