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Another round of peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan is "likely to take place in Istanbul" at the request of the Afghan Taliban regime, a Pakistani security source told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Thursday, offering a glimmer of hope despite the collapse of previous negotiations.
The announcement came after Pakistan declared Wednesday that four days of talks in Istanbul had failed to produce a workable solution, dealing a serious blow to efforts for a lasting truce following the South Asian neighbors' deadliest border clashes in years.
"On the request of the Afghan Taliban regime, another round of talks between Pakistan and Kabul is likely to take place in Istanbul," said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the subject publicly.
The earlier negotiations collapsed after failing to resolve core disagreements between the two countries.
"Regrettably, the Afghan side gave no assurances, kept deviating from the core issue and resorted to a blame game, deflection and ruses. The dialogue thus failed to bring about any workable solution," Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on X following four days of negotiations brokered by Qatar and Türkiye.
Tarar stated that Pakistan engaged with Afghanistan "in the spirit of peace," but accused Kabul of "unabated support to anti-Pakistan terrorists." He added: "We will continue to take all possible measures necessary to protect our people from the menace of terrorism."
The violence that prompted the negotiations killed more than 70 people and wounded hundreds during border fighting that erupted following explosions in Kabul on Oct. 9, which Taliban authorities blamed on Pakistan.
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Hours after Pakistan's information and broadcasting minister's statement about failed talks, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif posted a sharp warning on X, stating that "any terrorist attack or any suicide bombing inside Pakistan shall give you the bitter taste of such misadventures."
Asif claimed Pakistan did not require deploying its full military arsenal to neutralize the Taliban regime and return its leadership "to the caves for hiding." He characterized certain Afghan official statements as "treachery."
"If any terrorist attack is organized in Pakistan, the response will be bitter," Asif said, adding that Afghanistan has historically been "a graveyard for its own people and a playground for empires."
"If the Taliban regime attempts to fight, the world will see that their threats are mere posturing. Pakistan will not tolerate any terrorist or suicide attacks on its soil, and any adventurism will be met with a harsh and bitter response," he added.
"The Taliban regime should take account of its fate, as testing Pakistan’s resolve and capabilities will prove very costly for them," the Pakistani defense minister concluded.
The fundamental disagreement centers on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group that Islamabad accuses the Taliban authorities of allowing to use Afghan territory as a "training-cum-logistic base and jump off point for terrorist activities." The Taliban government has consistently denied the allegations.
A Pakistani security source, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said Tuesday that the Afghan delegation initially agreed to take "credible and decisive action" against the TTP but "reversed its position repeatedly after instructions from Kabul."
Relations between the former allies, who share a 2,600-kilometer frontier, have deteriorated in recent years over accusations from Islamabad that Afghanistan harbors armed groups staging attacks in Pakistan.
The border between the two neighbors has been closed for more than two weeks, causing severe economic hardship for border communities and traders on both sides.
Abdul Jabbar, a vehicle spare parts trader in the Pakistani border town of Chaman, told AFP the closure was "very concerning" for businesses. "Trade suffers greatly. Both countries face losses—both are Islamic nations," the 40-year-old said.
A resident named Ehsanullah, 26, expressed disappointment at the talks' failure. "May Allah make the talks successful so that peace, brotherhood, and trade can be restored," he said.
In Spin Boldak on the Afghan side, agricultural exports have been severely disrupted. A 25-year-old driver named Gul told AFP that "fruit is rotting" in trucks waiting at the border. "There are 50 to 60 trucks, some with apples, others with pomegranates and grapes," he said.
The violence killed at least 50 Afghan civilians and wounded 447 others in one week, according to the United Nations mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
Pakistan's military said on Oct. 12 that 23 personnel had been killed and 29 wounded, without detailing civilian casualties.
The explosions in Kabul on Oct. 9 coincided with a visit to New Delhi by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Muttaqi. Following the explosions, the Taliban launched a retaliatory border offensive, which Pakistan answered with strikes of its own.
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