Pakistan and Afghanistan talks stuck after border violence

Negotiations between Afghanistan and Pakistan to secure a lasting truce after their bloodiest clashes in years were deadlocked Tuesday, with a Pakistani security source saying a "last-ditch effort" was under way. Dozens were killed on both sides of the border in the worst such violence since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

The one-time allies have had frosty relations since then, with the Taliban govt denying accusations from Islamabad that it harbours militant groups which stage attacks in Pakistan. After an initial 48-hour ceasefire between the neighbours lapsed, a second truce emerged on Oct 19 after talks in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Turkiye, though its terms remain unclear. Talks in Istanbul began Saturday and aimed to establish long-term peace.

A Pakistani security source said the Afghan Taliban delegation initially agreed to Islamabad's call for "credible and decisive action" against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militant group. But the Afghan side "reversed its position repeatedly after instructions from Kabul", said the source, who was not authorised to discuss the peace talks publicly.

Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif had warned on Saturday that failure to reach a deal could lead to "open war". Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesman for Afghanistan's interior ministry, said that any attack would be met with a response "that will serve as a lesson for Pakistan and a message for others".