Pakistan's 'open war' warning amid peace talks with Afghanistan in Istanbul
Pakistan’s Khawaja Asif said, “if no agreement takes place, we have an open war with them. But I saw that they want peace.”
Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif reportedly warned on Saturday that failure to reach an agreement with Afghanistan during ongoing talks in Istanbul could lead to “open war".
“We have the option, if no agreement takes place, we have an open war with them. But I saw that they want peace,” Asif was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
The remarks came as the second round of talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan began on Saturday in Istanbul, Turkey, and are set to continue on Sunday, Pakistan newspaper Dawn reported. The discussions aim to address security concerns and establish a lasting ceasefire along their shared border after two weeks of intense clashes.
The confrontation, which left dozens dead including civilians, began after explosions in central Kabul, which the Taliban government attributed to Pakistan, prompting retaliatory strikes along the border.
The two sides agreed on a ceasefire initially, but it collapsed within a couple of days, with Kabul blaming Islamabad.
A second truce was brokered on Sunday through mediation by Qatar and Turkey, and appears to have held.
Islamabad-Kabul talks on: What's the agenda?
At Saturday’s Istanbul discussions, negotiators are expected to outline the "mechanisms" for maintaining stability announced during Doha talks, AFP reported. The timing and exact venue of the talks were not immediately disclosed.
The Afghan delegation, led by deputy interior minister Haji Najib, arrived in Turkey on Friday.
Pakistan is represented by a two-member delegation of security officials, Pak news outlet The Express Tribune reported.
"The delegation of the Islamic Emirate, led by the respected Deputy Minister of Interior, Haji Najib, has departed for Turkey following the Doha agreement from a few days ago. Discussions on the remaining issues will take place at this meeting," Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for Afghanistan, stated in a post on X on Friday.
The Taliban government seeks to safeguard Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, while Pakistan insists the talks must address “the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil towards Pakistan,” said foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi.
The initial Kabul explosions coincided with a rare visit by the Taliban foreign minister to India, sparking the current escalation.
Before the latest clashes, Pakistan had been a key supporter of the Taliban, providing strategic backing in Afghanistan to counter India.
