The Afghan Taliban said their ceasefire with Pakistan would remain in place, even after the latest talks in Istanbul failed to reach an agreement.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid criticised Islamabad for an “irresponsible and uncooperative” approach, saying the Pakistani side had attempted to shift all security responsibility onto Afghanistan while showing no willingness to address either country’s security.
Mujahid said that the ceasefire “will hold” despite the collapse of negotiations. “There is no issue with the ceasefire previously agreed upon with Pakistan, it will hold,” he said during a news conference.
The two sides had met in Turkey finalise a truce originally agreed in Qatar on October 19, following deadly clashes along their shared 2,600-kilometre border. Both countries have remained tight-lipped about the details of the discussions.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif earlier confirmed that the talks were now “over” and had entered an “indefinite phase.” He told: “Right now, as we speak, negotiations are over.”
Earlier, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the onus was on Afghanistan to act on promises to curb terrorism, which Islamabad says have so far not been met. “Pakistan shall continue to exercise all options necessary to safeguard the security of its people and its sovereignty,” he added.
Relations between the two neighbours have deteriorated over Islamabad’s accusations that Afghanistan harbours militant groups attacking Pakistan, allegations consistently denied by the Taliban government.
Each side has also accused the other of supporting armed groups and threatened a resumption of hostilities after recent clashes killed more than 70 people and injured hundreds.
Pakistan participated seriously in the negotiations, mediated by Turkey and Qatar, and presented a firm position. Islamabad made it clear that verbal assurances from the Afghan government are no longer sufficient. Cooperation, it stressed, can only proceed if it is bilateral, measurable, and enforceable, ensuring that counter-terrorism efforts yield real results.
