https://arab.news/8g49f
- Statement came hours after five soldiers, 25 TTP militants were killed in two separate engagements near Afghan border
- Talks mark latest attempt by Pakistan, Afghanistan to prevent relapse into violence after their deadly border skirmishes
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani delegation has made it clear to Afghan officials that there will be “no compromise” on Islamabad’s demands related to “cross-border terrorism,” a Pakistani security official said on Monday, following talks between the two sides in Istanbul.
The talks in Istanbul, which began on Saturday, mark the latest attempt by Pakistan and Afghanistan to prevent a relapse into violence after deadly border skirmishes between the neighbors this month killed dozens of people on both sides.
Clashes erupted between the neighbors earlier this month after Pakistan conducted airstrikes on Kabul following the killing of a dozen Pakistani soldiers. The skirmishes and strikes continued intermittently before a ceasefire was reached in Doha on Oct. 19. Pakistan has repeatedly urged Afghanistan to rein in militants on its soil and prevent them from carrying out attacks against it. Kabul denies the allegations.
In the talks held in Istanbul, Islamabad presented its “final position” to the Afghan side that the “ongoing patronage of terrorists by the Afghan Taliban is unacceptable,” according to the Pakistani security official. Islamabad demanded Kabul take “concrete, verifiable” steps against militant groups, mainly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). There was no immediate comment from the Afghan side on the discussions.
“The Pakistani delegation has made it clear that no compromise is possible on our core demands on cross-border terrorism,” the Pakistani security official said, citing anonymity.
The official said the “stubbornness, lack of seriousness and non-cooperative attitude” of the Afghan Taliban was “getting evident” to other participants of the dialogue as well, especially to Turkiye.
“The host country interlocutors are making all-out efforts to bring the Taliban delegation to understand realities, acknowledge evidence and cooperate seriously so that the talks can be fruitful,” the official added.
FRESH VIOLENCE NEAR AFGHAN BORDER
The statement came hours after Pakistan’s military said five soldiers and 25 TTP militants were killed in two separate engagements near the country’s border with Afghanistan on Saturday night.
“It is significant to point out that these infiltration attempts by Fitna al Khwarij (TTP militants) are being carried out at a time when delegations of Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged in talks in Türkiye, casting doubts on intentions of interim Afghan government with regards to addressing the issue of terrorism emanating from its soil,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said in a statement.
The security official said the arguments presented by the Afghan side in Istanbul were “opposite to ground realities,” accusing Kabul of following “someone else or another agenda.”
“This agenda is not in the interest of the stability of Afghanistan, Pakistan and the region,” the official said.
While the official did not name any third country, ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan have nosedived at a time when India, Pakistan’s arch-rival, has increased its diplomatic engagement with Kabul.
The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has denied providing sanctuaries to TTP militants on Afghan soil and urged Pakistan to resolve its security issues internally. It has also accused Islamabad of violating Afghanistan’s territorial sovereignty with airstrikes in Kabul and other cities earlier this month.