Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that if talks in Istanbul fail to produce results, an open war could break out between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He made this statement ahead of the negotiations.
The meetings in Istanbul began on Saturday and are scheduled to continue until Sunday. The purpose of the talks is to ensure the long-term stability of the Doha Agreement and to prevent further border clashes.
According to Asif, no new clashes have been recorded in the last four to five days, and both sides are adhering to the ceasefire terms. “If the negotiations fail, we have only one option left — war,” he said, adding that the Afghan side also wants peace.
During the clashes that began in early October, Islamabad accused the Taliban of harboring militants attacking Pakistan. In response, Pakistan carried out airstrikes, killing dozens of people and closing border crossings.
While Islamabad blames Afghanistan, the Taliban denies the accusation, calling Pakistan’s military actions a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty. Both sides now need to seek diplomatic ways to resolve the situation peacefully.
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