Star Metro - Pakistan says peace talks with Afghanistan 'failed'

Pakistan and Afghanistan have been holding negotiations in Istanbul aimed at securing peace after the South Asian neighbours' deadliest border clashes in years.

The violence, which killed more than 70 people and wounded hundreds, erupted following explosions in Kabul on October 9 that the Taliban authorities blamed on Pakistan.

"Regrettably, the Afghan side gave no assurances, kept deviating from the core issue and resorted to blame game, deflection and ruses," Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on X after four days of negotiations brokered by Qatar and Turkey.

"The dialogue thus failed to bring about any workable solution."

Tarar said Pakistan engaged with Afghanistan in the spirit of peace, but accused Kabul of "unabated support to anti-Pakistan terrorists".

"We will continue to take all possible measures necessary to protect our people from the menace of terrorism," he added, vowing to "decimate the terrorists, their sanctuaries, their abetters and supporters".

There was no immediate comment from Afghanistan.

Relations between the one-time allies, who share a 2,600-kilometre (1,600-mile) frontier, have soured in recent years over accusations from Islamabad that Afghanistan harbours militant groups which stage attacks in Pakistan.

Of particular concern to Islamabad is the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group, which Islamabad has been demanding action against.

Pakistan accuses the Taliban authorities of allowing the TTP to use Afghan territory as a "training-cum-logistic base and jump off point for terrorist activities", according to Tarar's statement.

The Taliban government has consistently denied the allegations.

After the October 9 explosions in Kabul, which coincided with a visit to New Delhi by Afghan foreign minister Amir Muttaqi, the Taliban launched a retaliatory border offensive, prompting a response from Pakistan.

An initial 48-hour ceasefire lapsed before a second truce emerged on October 19 following talks in Doha, also brokered by Qatar and Turkey.

- Border shut -

The border between the two neighbours has been closed for more than two weeks, with only Afghans expelled from Pakistan allowed to cross.

In the Afghan border town of Spin Boldak, a driver had told AFP on Monday that "fruit is rotting" in trucks.

"There are 50 to 60 trucks, some with apples, others with pomegranates and grapes," said 25-year-old Gul, who only gave his first name.

"We wait and call on the government to reopen" the border, he said.

A Pakistani security source said Tuesday the Afghan Taliban delegation initially agreed to Islamabad's call for "credible and decisive action" against the TTP.

But the Afghan side "reversed its position repeatedly after instructions from Kabul", said the source, who was not authorised to discuss the talks publicly.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned on Saturday that failure to reach a deal could lead to "open war".

Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesman for Afghanistan's interior ministry, said on Tuesday any attack would be met with a response "that will serve as a lesson for Pakistan and a message for others".

"It's true that we do not possess nuclear weapons, but neither did NATO nor the United States manage to subdue Afghanistan despite 20 years of war," Qani told Afghan media outlet Ariana News.

The violence killed at least 50 Afghan civilians and wounded 447 others in one week, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) told AFP on Monday.

Pakistan's military said on October 12 that 23 personnel had been killed and 29 wounded, without detailing civilian casualties.

P.M.Martin--SMC