The latest round of Afghanistan-Pakistan peace talks in Istanbul has ended in deadlock, exposing Islamabad’s insincerity and its veiled attempts to shift blame onto Kabul. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has issued a strongly worded statement accusing Pakistan of obstructing progress and acting irresponsibly despite mediation efforts by Turkey and Qatar.
In its official clarification released by Zabihullah Mujahid on November 8, the Taliban government expressed gratitude to “the Republic of Turkey and the State of Qatar – the two brotherly countries – for hosting and mediating the talks.” It stated that the Afghan representatives had attended the discussions “in good faith and with appropriate authority” on November 6 and 7, expecting Pakistan to finally approach the issue “seriously and constructively”.
However, the statement revealed that Pakistan once again demonstrated its “irresponsible and non-cooperative attitude”, seeking to “refer all responsibilities regarding its security to the Afghan government”, while showing “no willingness to assume responsibility for either Afghanistan’s security or its own”. The Afghan delegation, acting on leadership instructions, had entered the talks with hopes of finding “a fundamental solution”, but Pakistan’s behaviour left the discussions fruitless.
Condemning Islamabad’s posture, the Taliban reiterated its “principled position” that Afghanistan will not allow anyone to use its soil against another country, nor permit any foreign nation to act against its sovereignty and independence. The statement underscored that the defence of Afghanistan’s people and territory remains “the Islamic and national duty” of the Emirate, vowing to “firmly defend against any aggression with the help of Allah and the support of its people.”
While reaffirming fraternal ties with the “Muslim people of Pakistan”, the Taliban made clear that it would only cooperate “within the limits of its responsibilities and capabilities”. The statement suggested deep frustration at Pakistan’s persistent attempts to externalise internal security issues and its reluctance to commit to genuine regional stability.
Adding to the rising tension, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that the third round of negotiations had “reached an uncertain stage with no results” and admitted there were “no plans yet for a fourth round”. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Minister for Tribes, Borders, and Tribal Affairs, Noorullah Noori, issued a stern warning to Pakistani officials “not to test the patience of Afghans”. He cautioned Asif “not to be overly confident in his country’s technology,” declaring that if war breaks out, “both the elders and youth of Afghanistan will rise to fight.”
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said in a press conference today (Saturday) that the problem between the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Pakistan is not recent, nor did it arise after the Islamic Emirate came to power; rather, it has persisted since 2002.
He added that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan tried to facilitate direct talks between the TTP and Pakistan, and this process was largely successful, but the Pakistani military sabotaged it.
Mujahid stated that there are factions within the Pakistani military that do not want a sovereign authority standing firmly in Afghanistan.
The Istanbul talks, meant to ease border tensions, have instead revealed Pakistan’s duplicity, deepening mistrust and threatening behaviour to push the Af-Pak relationship closer to open confrontation. While the ceasefire remains on the Af-Pak border, Afghanistan suspects Pakistan to yet again launch unprovoked attacks across the border, including the use of drones to target the civilian population.