Three days of talks in Istanbul aimed at concluding a long-term ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan ended without an agreement on Tuesday, according to delegations and state media.
The meeting, hosted by Turkey with Qatar as co-mediator, followed a ceasefire brokered in Doha on October 19 after the deadliest cross-border clashes in years.
The crux of the impasse was related to Pakistan’s demand for Kabul to curb operations by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad says uses Afghan soil to carry out attacks. Afghan representatives countered that the Taliban government does not control all non-state actors and rejected unconditional commitments.
The talks took place against a backdrop of recent cross-border strikes and fighting that have left dozens dead and closed key borders, raising fears of a broader conflict.
Mediators were unable to secure a verification mechanism or dispute resolution framework, leaving the Doha ceasefire fragile, although it remains publicly supported by both sides.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif warned that failure to reach a permanent deal could risk “opening war”, highlighting the risks to regional stability.
Diplomats said talks could continue informally, but so far no progress has been made in Istanbul. Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations and traders called for the protection of civilians and the reopening of border routes to stem the economic strain affecting communities on both sides.