Pakistan Says Talks with Afghan Taliban Collapse Amid Accusations of Evasion and ‘War Economy’

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on Wednesday that peace talks with the Afghan Taliban in Türkiye have ended without a “workable solution,” accusing Kabul of evading commitments to curb cross-border militancy and relying on a “war economy” that risks plunging Afghanistan into renewed conflict.

The negotiations, held in Istanbul since Saturday, were aimed at easing tensions following the deadliest border clashes in decades earlier this month. The violence erupted after Pakistan launched airstrikes near Kabul targeting members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad claims operate from Afghan sanctuaries. In response, Taliban forces attacked Pakistani military posts along the 2,600-kilometer shared border.

A ceasefire had been brokered in Doha on October 19, mediated by Türkiye and Qatar, paving the way for follow-up discussions in Istanbul. Pakistan sought firm assurances that Afghan territory would not be used by militant groups for attacks, while the Taliban demanded respect for its sovereignty and an end to Pakistani air operations inside Afghanistan.

In a statement posted on X, Tarar said Pakistan had presented “sufficient and irrefutable evidence” of militant activity, which the Afghan side and mediators acknowledged. However, he added that the Taliban delegation “gave no assurances” and “kept deviating from the core issue,” accusing Kabul of resorting to “blame games and deflection.”

“The dialogue thus failed to bring about any workable solution,” Tarar said, stressing that Pakistan’s repeated appeals to the Taliban since 2021 had proven “futile” due to the regime’s “unabated support to anti-Pakistan terrorists.”

He accused the Taliban government of “thriving on a war economy” and attempting to “drag the Afghan people into a needless war.” Tarar thanked Türkiye and Qatar for mediating the discussions, affirming that Pakistan’s top priority remained safeguarding its citizens.

“We will continue to take all possible measures to protect our people from terrorism,” he stated, vowing to eliminate militant sanctuaries and their supporters.

A senior Pakistani official involved in the Istanbul meetings said the talks collapsed due to “internal fractures and backstage power-play” within the Taliban leadership. According to the official, rival factions from Kandahar, Kabul, and Khost issued conflicting instructions to delegates, undermining progress.

The deadlock reportedly deepened when the Kabul group unexpectedly demanded U.S. participation as a formal guarantor of any agreement—an issue not previously raised. Mediators were caught off guard, with Pakistani officials interpreting the move as an attempt to “reopen a financial corridor through Washington.”

“Instead of countering the TTP, they are trying to monetize its existence,” the official said, warning that no progress is possible until the Taliban resolves its internal divisions.

The breakdown underscores worsening relations between Islamabad and Kabul since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Cross-border attacks have surged in recent months, with Pakistan’s military reporting the deaths of five soldiers and 25 militants in clashes along the frontier over the weekend.