- Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif warned of a possible war with the Taliban ahead of peace talks
- Afghan-Pakistan peace talks are set to start in Istanbul today to salvage a fragile ceasefire agreed in Doha
- Delegations aim to address border clashes, drone strikes, and trade disruptions at talks
On the eve of renewed peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Istanbul, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif issued a fiery warning to the Taliban government, threatening possible military action, a statement that has dramatically escalated tensions and cast a dark cloud over diplomatic efforts to end weeks of deadly border clashes and drone strikes.
“War will happen,” Asif said when asked by a reporter if the military confrontation was the only option to deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The provocative remarks, made during a televised interview on Wednesday, come just hours before senior Afghan and Pakistani delegations were set to meet in Turkey under the mediation of Turkiye and Qatar.
Asif also accused Kabul of harbouring militants and turning a blind eye to cross-border attacks, while Afghanistan has countered the allegation by condemning Pakistan's “drone warfare on civilians” and “silence over training ISIS terrorists.”
The high-stakes “Afghan-Pakistan Peace Talks”, beginning Thursday in Istanbul, aim to salvage a fragile ceasefire brokered in Doha last month. The previous round of discussions in Istanbul ended in heated exchanges but produced a joint statement on October 30, pledging both sides' commitment to extend the truce and reconvene at the principal level to finalise a monitoring and verification mechanism for border stability.
Peace Talks
The Afghan team, led by Intelligence Chief Abdul Haq Wasiq, includes senior Islamic Emirate member Anas Haqqani, acting ambassador to Qatar Suhail Shaheen, Deputy Interior Minister Rahmatullah Najib, and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi.
Pakistan's delegation, headed by National Security Adviser and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Lieutenant General Muhammad Asim, underscores Islamabad's focus on security control rather than political conciliation.
The talks are expected to address recurring border skirmishes, drone operations, and the closure of Pakistan's commercial crossings, which have crippled bilateral trade. Data from the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment shows more than 8,000 Afghan containers are stranded in Pakistan, and 4,000 more are awaiting entry, causing mounting economic losses on both sides, according to Afghanistan's Tolo News.
Diplomatic Duel and Political Backfire
As diplomatic tempers flared, Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a stern rebuttal to Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who claimed that Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi had called him “six times in one day.” Kabul dismissed the statement as “false and inconsistent with diplomatic ethics”, asserting that only two official contacts took place “in mutual coordination”.
Adding to the controversy, Ishaq Dar took a public swipe at ISI, referring to its 2021 viral photo from Kabul, where its then-chief posed with a “cup of tea”. “That cup of tea proved expensive for Pakistan,” Dar said, arguing that the ISI's celebration of the Taliban's return had unleashed extremists who later turned against Pakistan.
Mediation and Uncertain Prospects
In their October 30 joint communique, Turkiye and Qatar praised both sides' “active participation” but cautioned that “peace depends on accountability and restraint.” The mediators are expected to push for a joint verification mechanism to investigate and penalise violations of the ceasefire.
Yet, with Pakistan's latest threat and Kabul's defiant response, the Istanbul meeting opens under severe strain. Analysts warn that unless both capitals curb their inflammatory rhetoric and rein in border hostilities, the fragile truce and the broader prospect of regional stability could collapse before talks even begin.
