Islamabad (The COW News Digital)Pakistan has announced the breakdown of four days of talks with the Afghan Taliban in Istanbul and vowed to continue operations to eliminate terrorists and their supporters who use Afghan territory to attack Pakistan, Information Minister Atta Tarar said on Thursday.
Tarar, speaking on social media after the delegation returned from Turkey, said Islamabad’s sole demand during the talks was clear and non-negotiable: that Afghan soil must not be used as a launchpad for terrorism against Pakistan. He alleged that despite presenting “ample and irrefutable” evidence of cross-border militant activity, the Taliban delegation repeatedly evaded the core issue, shifted the discussion and failed to provide concrete guarantees to stop attacks originating from Afghanistan.
“Pakistan sought a practical, verifiable commitment to prevent the use of Afghan territory for attacks. The Taliban repeatedly avoided this central point,” Tarar said, accusing the Afghan delegation of delay tactics, blame-shifting and employing excuses throughout the negotiations. He warned that Islamabad would not tolerate continued inaction and would press ahead with counter-terrorism measures to protect Pakistani citizens.
Tarar reiterated that Pakistan is prepared to take all necessary steps to safeguard its people and territory. “We will continue operations against terrorists and their supporters until the threat is neutralised,” he said.
While expressing disappointment at the outcome, the minister thanked Qatar and Turkey for facilitating the dialogue and for their efforts to persuade the Taliban leadership to refrain from using militant leverage against Pakistan during talks. He said both countries had played constructive roles in arranging and hosting the talks.
Sources close to the talks told The COW News that the Afghan delegation’s stance was reportedly influenced by instructions from Kabul, leading to shifting positions during the negotiations. Islamabad officials said such external directives contributed to the impasse.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has previously issued a stern warning that if diplomatic avenues fail to secure a halt to cross-border attacks, Pakistan reserves the right to pursue other measures — language Islamabad officials say underscores the seriousness of their security concerns.
Analysts say the failed talks risk heightening tensions along the porous Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier, where militant groups have long taken advantage of limited state control. The breakdown also complicates regional efforts to stabilise border security through engagement and surveillance.
For now, Islamabad’s message is unequivocal: diplomatic engagement remains preferable, but Pakistan will not shy away from decisive action should evidence of cross-border terrorism continue unabated.
