Pakistan and Afghanistan to resume talks in Istanbul after deadlock
Pakistan and Afghanistan are expected to resume peace talks in Istanbul to revive a dialogue that collapsed earlier this week, Pakistan's defense minister and state media in both countries said Thursday.
The new round of negotiations, facilitated by Turkey and other friendly nations, was aimed at easing border tensions between the two sides who earlier this month exchanged fire, leaving dozens of soldiers, civilians and militants dead.
Despite the collapse of the previous round of talks, a ceasefire has largely held and no new border clashes were reported this week. However, both countries have kept major crossings closed, leaving hundreds of trucks carrying goods and refugees stranded on each side.
Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif told the Geo news channel that the decision to give peace another chance was made by Pakistan at the request of Qatar and Turkey, and that the Pakistani delegation, set to return home last night, was asked to stay in Istanbul.
According to Pakistani state-run television, Islamabad said the talks will be based on Pakistan's central demand that Afghanistan take clear, verifiable and effective action against militant groups.
Also Thursday, Afghanistan's state broadcaster, RTA, reported that the stalled talks were set to resume in Istanbul under the mediation of Turkey and Qatar.
In Islamabad, two senior security officials told the Associated Press that Pakistan has once again stressed that Afghan soil should not be used for what it called "terrorism" against Pakistan and that it appreciates the constructive role of its hosts and remains committed to seeking a peaceful resolution in good faith.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media on the record.
There was no official confirmation of the resumption of talks by Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. No government spokesperson in Islamabad and Kabul has responded to requests for information on the latest development.
It comes a day after Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said four days of talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan had ended without agreement, and after Asif warned Kabul of a "stern response" if militants based in Afghanistan carried out new attacks inside Pakistan.
Tensions flared earlier this month after explosions were heard in Kabul, and Afghanistan's Taliban government accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes in the capital and bombing a market in the country's east.
Afghan officials on Oct. 12 said they retaliated by targeting Pakistani military posts, claiming 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed. However, Pakistan's military said the fighting left 23 of its soldiers dead and that its operations were targeting militant hideouts inside Afghanistan.
The clashes prompted Qatar to host emergency talks between the two neighbors, resulting in a ceasefire on Oct. 19. That was followed by four days of negotiations in Istanbul that ended inconclusively on Tuesday. Since then, Qatar and Turkey have been working to bring the delegations back to the negotiating table, the Pakistani officials said.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks in recent months, most claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, a group closely allied to the Taliban in Afghanistan. Many of their leaders and fighters are believed to be sheltering in Afghanistan since the Taliban's return to power in 2021.
The Pakistani military said Thursday it killed 18 militants in two separate operations in the southwestern province of Balochistan. In a separate statement, it said four Pakistani Taliban, including a high-value target, were killed as they attempted to sneak into Bajaur, a city bordering Afghanistan.
It said the killed TTP commander was a senior figure in the group. The military asked Kabul to take concrete measures to ensure that Afghan soil is not used by militants to "perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan."
Source: Associated Press
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