Istanbul Talks Collapse: Pakistan Accuses Afghanistan of Sabotaging Peace

According to Pakistan’s Minister of Information, the Afghan delegation avoided discussing the control of armed groups responsible for attacks on Pakistani territory. He stated that “the Afghan side evaded responsibility, shifted blame, and misled the mediators.” Islamabad emphasized that the lack of concrete agreements shows Kabul’s unwillingness to take real steps toward stabilizing the border situation.

Pakistan accuses the Taliban government of supporting militants who use Afghan territory as a base for attacks on neighboring areas. Officials in Islamabad claim that the increased attacks by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan movement confirm the existence of safe havens in Afghanistan’s border regions.

The Afghan side rejected the accusations, stating that “the country’s territory is not being used for hostile acts against its neighbors.” Kabul’s representatives blamed Pakistan for escalating tensions, accusing it of violating previous agreements and using “disproportionate force.”

The talks in Turkey were held with the mediation of several diplomatic representatives, but despite the efforts of intermediaries, the parties failed to sign a final protocol. The Pakistani delegation said that “the doors for dialogue remain open,” but stressed that further negotiations would be possible only with concrete security guarantees.

Observers note that the failure of the Istanbul talks increases the risk of a new escalation in border areas and complicates the situation along the entire Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier. The lack of agreements could lead to renewed hostilities, posing a humanitarian threat to civilians on both sides.