Peace negotiations between Pakistan and the Taliban have reportedly collapsed in Istanbul, with Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Asif, leveling serious accusations against India. Asif claims New Delhi is actively engaged in a ‘proxy war’ by leveraging the Taliban government in Afghanistan to sow discord and instability. This geopolitical friction follows a series of violent clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border that resulted in numerous casualties.
According to Asif, India has infiltrated the Afghan administration in Kabul, transforming the Taliban into instruments for its regional agenda. He highlighted the Istanbul talks’ failure, explaining that the Afghan delegation repeatedly shifted their stance, leading to an impasse. “There should not be any doubt on this,” Asif emphasized, referring to India’s alleged involvement.
These Istanbul discussions were intended to build upon a temporary ceasefire established in Doha on October 19th, which followed a period of intense border violence. The collapse of these talks has heightened tensions, with Pakistan issuing a stern warning of decisive retribution for any future attacks originating from Afghan soil. Minister Asif promised a retaliatory response that would be “50 times over.”
Pakistan has consistently voiced concerns about the Taliban allegedly providing safe havens for militants who conduct attacks within its territory. The Afghan authorities, however, have refuted these allegations, denying that their soil is used to launch assaults against Pakistan. The recent diplomatic efforts, facilitated by friendly nations like Qatar and Turkey, now appear to have reached a dead end, with both sides reportedly blaming each other for the lack of progress towards a peaceful resolution.