Pakistan Warns of Open War as Istanbul Talks Continue

Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif warned that failure to reach a lasting agreement in talks in Istanbul could lead to “open war,” while saying he believes Afghanistan wants peace. The talks, which began Saturday and are expected to continue into Sunday, are mediated by Qatar and Turkey and aim to devise mechanisms to uphold a Doha-brokered ceasefire after the deadliest border clashes since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover. The confrontations included Pakistani cross-border airstrikes and heavy exchanges that killed dozens and forced key crossings to close. Both sides agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey, and Asif said there had been no incidents in the four to five days since it was announced. Islamabad accuses the Taliban of sheltering militants, including the TTP, and is seeking concrete commitments and possible third-party oversight to eliminate those threats, while the Taliban rejects the accusations and calls Pakistan’s strikes violations of sovereignty. Negotiators in Istanbul are under pressure to agree practical measures to sustain the truce and prevent a relapse into open conflict along the Durand Line.