Pakistan on Wednesday confirmed that its recent four-day talks with the Afghan Taliban government failed to reach any agreement on curbing cross-border terrorism. The discussions, which took place in Turkiye, were aimed at finding ways to stop militants from using Afghan soil to attack Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, announced that the peace dialogue did not lead to any meaningful progress because, according to him, Kabul backtracked on its promises. “The dialogue thus failed to bring about any workable solution,” he wrote on social media.
The talks, facilitated by Turkiye, began on Saturday and included officials from both countries. Pakistan had hoped that the Afghan Taliban would agree to take strict action against militant groups operating from within Afghanistan, but Islamabad said no commitment was received from Kabul’s side.
Minister Attaullah Tarar said that since the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021, Pakistan has repeatedly urged them to act against groups attacking Pakistani forces and civilians. He claimed that Pakistan reminded the Taliban leadership several times about their written commitments made under the Doha Agreement—the deal signed in 2020 between the Taliban and the United States, in which the Taliban had promised not to allow Afghan territory to be used for terrorism.
Despite these repeated requests, Tarar said, “Pakistan’s efforts proved futile due to the Taliban regime’s continued support for anti-Pakistan terrorists.”
He accused the Afghan government of “thriving on a war economy” and said it showed no responsibility towards its people. Tarar added that the Taliban regime was trying to “drag the Afghan people into a needless war” instead of ensuring peace in the region.
“Pakistan has always desired and sacrificed for peace and prosperity for the people of Afghanistan,” he said, adding that the country had participated in numerous rounds of talks and discussions over the years but had been met with “indifference” from Kabul.
After “losing men and material for four long years,” he said, Pakistan’s patience had run out. Islamabad had attended both the Doha and Istanbul talks on the request of friendly nations Qatar and Turkiye, hoping to give diplomacy another chance.
Tarar claimed that Pakistan had presented “sufficient and irrefutable evidence” of terrorist activity against it during the discussions. These findings, he said, were even acknowledged by the Afghan Taliban and the host countries. However, “the Afghan side gave no assurances,” Tarar added.
According to him, Afghan negotiators kept diverting the discussions away from the main issue—cross-border terrorism—and instead played the “blame game.” He said Kabul refused to take responsibility and used delaying tactics.
Tarar thanked Qatar, Turkiye, and other friendly countries for their support and mediation efforts, saying Pakistan valued their help in seeking a peaceful resolution. However, he reiterated that Pakistan’s national security and the safety of its citizens remained its top priority.
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Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif gave further details about why the negotiations failed. Speaking to Geo News on Tuesday night, he said that an agreement was nearly finalized, but each time progress was made, Afghan negotiators went back on their word after consulting officials in Kabul.
He explained that during the four days of discussions, Pakistani and Afghan representatives almost reached an understanding four or five times, but each time, when the Taliban negotiators reported back to Kabul, they were told to withdraw from the agreement. “Whenever we got close to an agreement, Kabul intervened, and it was withdrawn,” he said.
Asif also accused India of influencing the process and said that Afghanistan was being used as a tool by New Delhi to harm Pakistan’s security interests.
Following the breakdown of the talks, Pakistan’s security agencies issued a statement reaffirming that protecting its citizens from terrorism would continue to be the country’s foremost concern.
“We will continue to take all possible measures necessary to protect our people from the menace of terrorism,” the officials said. They assured that the Government of Pakistan would use every available resource to destroy terrorist networks, their shelters, and those supporting them.
According to security officials, Pakistan remains committed to peace in the region but will not compromise on its sovereignty and safety. They added that Islamabad has shown enough patience and goodwill, but if threats from Afghan-based militants persist, stronger measures may be taken.
The current tensions reflect growing frustration in Islamabad over what it sees as Kabul’s failure to fulfill its counterterrorism commitments. Pakistani authorities have repeatedly complained that the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups continue to find refuge and launch attacks from Afghan territory—a claim that the Taliban government in Kabul has often denied.
Despite the failed talks, analysts believe that both sides may still have to return to the negotiation table soon, given their shared borders and economic ties. However, the breakdown of these discussions marks another setback in the already strained Pakistan–Afghanistan relationship, with increasing distrust on both sides.
For now, Pakistan has made it clear that while it remains open to peace, its security comes first. The outcome of these talks, officials said, is a reminder that without sincere cooperation from Kabul, regional stability and the fight against terrorism will remain difficult goals to achieve.
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