KABUL: Peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan have hit a deadlock, Afghan state media reported on Tuesday, following days of negotiations in Istanbul, as tensions remained high along the neighbors’ shared border.
The talks in Istanbul, hosted by the Turkish government and facilitated by Qatar, are part of a broader diplomatic push to reach a long-term truce between Islamabad and Kabul, following border clashes earlier this month that killed dozens on both sides, making it their deadliest confrontation in years.
Their first round of negotiations was held on Oct. 19 and hosted by Qatar, which led to a ceasefire agreement.
“The delegation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has made every effort to conduct constructive and result-oriented dialogues during the ongoing negotiations with Pakistan in Turkey. However, the Pakistani side appears unwilling to engage seriously in the discussions,” state media Radio Television Afghanistan reported on Tuesday.
The Pakistan delegation “seems inclined to withdraw rather than present substantiated arguments at the negotiating table,” it added.
A Pakistani security official, who spoke to Arab News Pakistan on the condition of anonymity, said the Taliban administration has “given no encouraging response” to Islamabad’s demands, therefore “causing a deadlock” in the negotiations.
The Afghan delegation recognizes the validity of Pakistan’s demands but is “not fully willing” to accept them, the official said, adding the Afghan delegation is repeatedly consulting the administration in Kabul and acting on its instructions.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Affairs and the office of the government’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to Arab News’ requests for comments.
The current Afghanistan-Pakistan instability appears to be linked to Islamabad’s relations with the US, experts say.
“This instability also aligns with certain interests of the United States, which has historically partnered with Pakistan to counterbalance any emerging powers that could influence Central Asia or challenge China. In this context, weak governments and the presence of radical groups serve as tools to maintain regional volatility,” said Abdul Hameed Jalili, former refugee affairs attache to Pakistan.
Clashes between Afghan and Pakistani forces along the Durand Line — their 2,640-km border — have occurred for decades but intensified after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, following the withdrawal of US-led troops.
Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of sheltering fighters from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and allowing them to stage cross-border attacks — a charge Afghanistan denies, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against other countries.
The exchange of fire that started earlier this month was triggered by an unclaimed explosion in Kabul and another in the southeastern province of Paktika, for which the Afghan government blamed the Pakistani military.
“The current disputes are not confined to the TTP. Even prior to the TTP’s emergence, Pakistan has pursued foreign-backed initiatives aimed at influencing the region. By leveraging the TTP as a pretext and taking advantage of internal dissatisfaction with the Taliban government, Pakistan appears to be exploiting every opportunity to prolong instability in Afghanistan,” Jalili added.
Pakistan’s reported security arrangements with the US are “one of the major obstacles” in reaching an agreement, according to Abdul Saboor Mubariz, board member of the Center for Strategic and Regional Studies in Kabul.
“Afghanistan wants Pakistan to guarantee that its land will not be used by any state or group — particularly the United States or Daesh — to threaten Afghanistan’s security. Pakistan, meanwhile, is pressing Kabul for equally strong guarantees that the TTP will not find sanctuary or support in Afghanistan,” he told Arab News.
“Without credible and enforceable assurances from both sides, any sustainable peace deal will remain out of reach. Pakistan continues to serve US interests in the region and may even see Daesh as a useful tool to exert pressure on Afghanistan, further complicating the path to stability.”
