Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Afghanistan, Pakistan aim to ease deadlock tensions


(MENAFN) Negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan aimed at defusing tensions along their shared border have concluded without any agreement, according to officials in Islamabad.

The talks, held in Türkiye, followed an earlier session in Doha that resulted in a ceasefire on October 19 after deadly clashes. The Taliban claimed responsibility for killing 58 Pakistani soldiers during the conflict, while Pakistani authorities reported capturing 19 Afghan border posts.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar expressed disappointment over the discussions on X, accusing the Afghan delegation of relying on “deflection and ruses.” “The dialogue thus failed to produce any workable solution,” he said.

Pakistani security sources reported that Monday’s negotiations lasted almost 18 hours but eventually stalled. Officials noted that progress was blocked when the Afghan delegation reportedly shifted its position regarding Islamabad’s demand that Kabul take action against the banned group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). An official indicated that instructions from Kabul were limiting the Afghan team’s ability to reach a compromise.

During the talks, Afghanistan presented a draft agreement to Pakistan proposing “non-violation of Afghanistan’s territory and airspace” and committing to prevent Taliban opponents from using Pakistani soil, according to sources cited by reports.

Tensions were further inflamed when Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif accused Kabul of serving as a “tool for New Delhi” to foment unrest in Pakistan. Speaking to local media, he suggested that India was using Afghanistan to conduct low-intensity operations against Pakistan, stating, “India is compensating for its defeat on the western border through Kabul. The junta there has elements that have visited India and their temples.”

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