ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s information minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that talks with the Afghan Taliban failed to yield a “workable solution” despite multiple meetings in Türkiye, accusing Kabul of evading commitments to curb militants and thriving on a “war economy” that risks dragging Afghans into another conflict.
Pakistan and Afghanistan had been holding peace talks in Istanbul since Saturday after the two countries saw the worst fighting in decades, leaving dozens dead and several wounded earlier this month. Clashes erupted after Pakistan conducted airstrikes near Kabul as it went after Pakistani Taliban militants, which Islamabad says operate from sanctuaries in Afghanistan. The Taliban responded with attacks on Pakistani military posts along the length of the 2,600-km (1,600-mile) contested border.
The two sides had agreed to a ceasefire in Doha on Oct. 19, mediated by Türkiye and Qatar, and met again in Istanbul on Oct. 25 to discuss a lasting truce. Pakistan sought assurances that Afghan territory would not be used by militants, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to carry out cross-border attacks, while Kabul demanded that Islamabad respect its sovereignty and refrain from strikes inside its borders.
