Pakistan–Afghanistan peace talks in Istanbul fail amid rising border
tensions
[November 08, 2025]
By SAJJAD TARAKZAI
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in
Istanbul have ended without agreement, with the sides trading blame for
the breakdown in negotiations aimed at easing border tensions and
upholding a fragile ceasefire, officials said Saturday.
Tensions have escalated in recent weeks following deadly border fighting
that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians. The violence erupted after
explosions in Kabul on Oct. 9, which Afghanistan's Taliban government
said were drone strikes conducted by Pakistan and vowed to avenge. The
clashes subsided after Qatar brokered a ceasefire on Oct. 19, which
remains tenuously in place.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban government, blamed
Pakistan for the talks’ failure, writing on X that “the irresponsible
and non-cooperative attitude of the Pakistani delegation resulted in no
outcome, despite the Islamic Emirate’s good intentions and the efforts
of the mediators.”
Mujahid reiterated that Afghanistan “will not allow anyone to use its
territory against another country, nor permit actions that undermine its
sovereignty or security.”
Talks come to an end without progress
The two-day talks in Istanbul, mediated by Turkey and Qatar, were the
third round of peace negotiations that were viewed as one of the most
significant diplomatic efforts between the two neighbors since the
Taliban seized power in Afghanistan 2021. Despite intense back-channel
diplomacy, officials said discussions stalled late Friday without
tangible progress.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told the private Geo News
channel late Friday that the “talks are over” and that the Pakistani
delegation was returning home with “no plan for any future meetings.” He
added that the ceasefire would remain in place as long as “it is not
violated from the Afghan side.”
Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers of
harboring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group
responsible for a surge in attacks inside Pakistan since 2021. Kabul
denies the charge, saying it does not allow its territory to be used
against other countries.
Clashes continue
The collapse of talks came the night after Afghan officials reported
that four civilians were killed and five others wounded in cross-border
clashes despite the ongoing negotiations.
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Asif said the Afghan delegation came “without any program” and
refused to sign a written agreement, insisting only on verbal
assurances. “They said they would respect a verbal agreement, but
there is no room for that,” he said. “There is no plan or hope for
any fourth round of talks. Talks have entered an indefinite pause.”
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s military said it carried out
airstrikes on the hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban inside
Afghanistan, killing dozens of people it described as insurgents.
Afghan officials denied the claim, saying civilians were among the
dead, and said Afghan forces had struck Pakistani military posts in
retaliation, killing 58 soldiers. Pakistan’s military acknowledged
losing 23 troops in the fighting.
The violence prompted Qatar to invite delegations from both sides to
Doha, where they agreed to a ceasefire on Oct. 19. It was followed
by six days of talks in Istanbul, which resulted in an agreement to
extend the truce and hold a third round on Nov. 6 and 7 — talks that
ultimately failed to produce any breakthrough.
Border closure
Since then, Pakistan has kept all of its border crossings with
Afghanistan closed, though it partially reopened the main Torkham
crossing last week to allow stranded Afghan refugees to return home.
The closure, imposed on Oct. 12, has disrupted vital trade and
transit routes and stranded thousands of people. Hundreds of trucks
loaded with goods remain backed up on both sides of the frontier,
cutting off one of the busiest economic arteries linking South and
Central Asia.
Alongside the border restrictions, Pakistan is pursuing a nationwide
campaign to deport undocumented foreigners, the majority of them
Afghans. Since 2023, authorities say more than a million Afghan
nationals have been sent back as part of the repatriation drive.
Pakistan has also witnessed a surge in militant attacks, many
claimed by the TTP, which is designated as a terrorist organization
by the United States and the United Nations. Although separate from
Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban, the TTP is closely allied with it and
has been emboldened since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover of Kabul.
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