Afghanistan Blames Pakistan for ‘Irresponsible, Non-Cooperative’ Stance as Istanbul Peace Talks Collapse

Istanbul: The latest round of peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan, held in Istanbul, ended in failure after Kabul accused Islamabad of taking an “irresponsible and non-cooperative” approach. The Taliban-led Afghan government claimed that Pakistan attempted to shift “all security responsibility” onto Kabul while refusing to accept any on its own, a stance that allegedly led to the breakdown of the two-day negotiations.

In a detailed statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the Afghan delegation had attended the talks “in good faith and with full authority,” expecting Pakistan to engage “seriously and constructively” after consulting its leadership. Instead, he said, Pakistan “did not demonstrate any willingness to assume responsibility for either Afghanistan’s security or its own,” leaving mediators Turkey and Qatar unable to bridge the widening divide.

Mujahid reiterated that Afghanistan would not allow its soil to be used against any country and vowed to protect the nation’s sovereignty “against any form of aggression.”

The talks, held on November 6 and 7, failed to produce a written commitment from Kabul to act against Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants allegedly using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Islamabad had pressed for formal assurances, but the Afghan side reportedly offered only verbal commitments.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the negotiations as being in a state of “complete deadlock.” He said, “Kabul insists on giving verbal assurances, which are unacceptable in international negotiations.” Asif added that while Pakistan would continue to honor the existing ceasefire, it “reserves the right to respond” if any attack originates from Afghan soil.

The Istanbul impasse marks the third consecutive failure in the peace process mediated by Turkey and Qatar. The dialogue began in Doha on October 29, following a series of deadly border clashes between October 11 and 15. That round ended without progress, prompting a second meeting in Istanbul on October 25, which also yielded no breakthrough. The latest collapse leaves the future of the peace process uncertain, with no date set for a fourth session.

The continued stalemate underscores the deep mistrust and competing security concerns between the two neighbours, threatening to further destabilize an already fragile regional security environment.