- A Pakistani map omitting parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan was shown in Turkey
- The meeting in Istanbul aimed to ease military tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan
- Talks were held under Track 1.5 format with former officials and experts from both countries
Pakistan dealt with a major faux pas after it displayed a map that left out parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan during an informal dialogue with Afghanistan in Turkey.
The map was shown at a meeting held in Istanbul earlier this week, which aimed to ease military tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Many Pakistani users reacted to the map on social media, raising concerns about how it was presented.
While the lower-left portion may look distorted due to design and colour choices, the upper-right section is clearly inaccurate.
The talks, titled "Afghanistan and Pakistan: A dialogue in the spirit of Ta'aruf - 1", were conducted under a "Track 1.5" format, bringing together former officials, experts and people considered close to policy making circles.
Organised by Turkish aid organisation IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, the talks were facilitated by Turkey and Qatar, Afghan and Pakistani media outlets reported citing sources.
In a statement, the organiser said that the talks aimed to address fundamental issues between "Afghanistan and Pakistan," explore solutions and contribute to efforts toward lasting peace.
Pakistan's former special envoy for Afghanistan Asif Durrani, lawmaker Sitara Ayaz, former lawmaker Mushahid Hussain Sayed, and senior journalist Hamid Mir were part of the Pakistani delegation. The Afghani side was represented by former diplomats Atif Mashal, Obaidullah Bahir, Jafar Mahdavi, and Ghuncha Gul, Afghanistan's Amu TV reported.
Some prominent Pakistani news outlets published the news about the talks in Istanbul with the wrong map but later deleted them from their website and social media accounts.
The relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan nosedived after Islamabad bombed Kabul in February.
