UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations expressed concern on Wednesday over the failure of the Pakistan–Afghanistan talks in Istanbul, urging both sides to avoid renewed hostilities and continue seeking a peaceful resolution.
“Yes, it is, of course,” said UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, when asked whether the deadlock after four days of negotiations was a matter of concern. “We very much hope that even if the talks are on pause, the fighting will not renew,” he added during a briefing at UN Headquarters in New York.
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The Istanbul dialogue followed earlier discussions in Doha, which had produced a ceasefire on October 19 after deadly border clashes between the two neighbours. Despite the breakdown of the recent talks, reports indicate that the ceasefire remains intact, with no new clashes reported so far.
The primary sticking point in the negotiations was Pakistan’s demand that the Afghan Taliban take concrete action against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), accused of using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on social media that the talks “failed to bring about any workable solution” despite mediation by Qatar and Türkiye.
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Tarar accused the Taliban regime of supporting anti-Pakistan militants and sustaining a “war economy,” adding that Pakistan’s patience had worn thin after suffering “huge losses of men and material” over the past four years. He reaffirmed that Pakistan had consistently pursued peace and stability in the region but found the Taliban “indifferent” to its concerns.