ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced on Friday that talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan over cross-border terrorism have “ended indefinitely” after negotiators failed to bridge their differences during the third round of discussions in Istanbul. He confirmed that the ceasefire remains intact “for now,” but warned that Pakistan would respond decisively to any violation.
“Negotiations are over,” Asif declared during an appearance on Geo News’ Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath. He criticised the Afghan Taliban delegation for arriving “without any programme” and refusing to sign a written agreement, insisting only on verbal assurances. “There is no room for that,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s primary demand remains the cessation of attacks launched from Afghan soil.
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The latest talks — mediated by Turkiye and Qatar — ended without agreement, with both delegations departing Istanbul after tense discussions. Pakistan’s delegation, led by ISI Director General Lt Gen Asim Malik, included senior military, intelligence, and Foreign Office officials, while the Afghan side was headed by General Directorate of Intelligence chief Abdul Haq Waseq. Despite the deadlock, some Pakistani officials stayed behind to work with mediators in hopes of reviving the process.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Pakistan had presented its case “comprehensively and with evidence,” while Afghan negotiators described Islamabad’s demands as “unrealistic and aggressive.” Information Minister Atta Tarar later reiterated that Afghanistan must fulfill its international commitments to control terrorism, stressing that Pakistan “will take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and protect its people.”
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The dialogue process was launched after deadly border clashes in October that killed several soldiers and civilians on both sides. The first two rounds in Doha produced a fragile ceasefire and a commitment to develop a verification mechanism, which the Istanbul round was supposed to finalise. However, with no progress achieved, relations between the two neighbours remain at their lowest point since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021.