**Negotiations for Truce Between Afghanistan and Pakistan Fail After Four Days of Talks**
Negotiations aimed at establishing a lasting truce between Afghanistan and Pakistan have collapsed, Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on October 29. The talks, which lasted four days and were brokered by Qatar and Turkey, ended without a resolution.
“Instead of accepting any responsibility, the Afghan Taliban resorted to blame game, deflection and ruses. The dialogue thus failed to bring about any workable solution,” Tarar stated.
The discussions took place in Istanbul and were focused on securing peace following deadly border clashes earlier this month that claimed more than 70 lives and injured hundreds. This recent surge in violence marks the worst incident since the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021.
The unrest followed explosions in Kabul on October 9, which the Taliban authorities attributed to Pakistan.
Tarar emphasized that Pakistan engaged in the talks with a spirit of peace but accused Kabul of providing “unabated support to anti-Pakistan terrorists.” He warned, “We will continue to take all possible measures necessary to protect our people from the menace of terrorism,” and vowed to “decimate the terrorists, their sanctuaries, their abettors and supporters.”
As of now, there has been no immediate response from Afghanistan regarding the failed talks.
Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, once close allies sharing a 2,600-kilometer border, have deteriorated in recent years. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of harboring militant groups, including the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
According to Tarar’s statement, Pakistan alleges that the Taliban authorities have allowed the TTP to use Afghan territory as a base for training and logistics to carry out terrorist activities inside Pakistan. The Taliban government, however, has denied these claims.
Meanwhile, violence continues despite diplomatic efforts. On October 26, the Pakistani military reported that five Pakistani soldiers and 25 TTP militants were killed in clashes the previous day, coinciding with ongoing talks.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif warned on October 25 that if the talks fail, the situation could escalate into “open war.”
In response, Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesman for Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry, cautioned that any attack would be met with a strong reply “that will serve as a lesson for Pakistan and a message for others.”
*With reporting by AFP.*
https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-pakistan-taliban-negotiations-clashes-border/33575282.html