Peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan have collapsed, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed. The latest round of negotiations, held in Istanbul, was expected to span two days, but the Afghan Taliban delegation refused to sign any written agreement, leading to an inconclusive conclusion. Khawaja Asif warned that continued cross-border attacks would be met with a strong response from Pakistan.
Earlier, Asif had issued stern warnings to Afghanistan, cautioning that failure in the peace talks could lead to open conflict. Pakistan has accused Kabul of providing shelter to militants and ignoring cross-border attacks. The negotiations reportedly failed to produce consensus on key issues, including border clashes, drone strikes, and the closure of Pakistan-Afghanistan trade crossings.
Afghanistan has denied the accusations, rejecting Pakistan’s claims of harboring militants. With the peace talks failing once again, analysts and officials fear a potential escalation of large-scale cross-border attacks in the near future.
Khawaja Asif's "War" Threat To Taliban Before Afghan-Pak Peace Talks in Turkey . Report : @AdityaRajKaul .
YES : A war threat on the eve of peace talks shows Islamabad’s political weakness; those who truly seek peace do not enter negotiations with threats.…
— Najib Farhodi (@Najib_Farhodi) November 6, 2025