UltraDaily.org — A Fragile Calm: Afghanistan and Pakistan Fail to Seal Peace, but Ceasefire Holds

The uneasy calm along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border persists, even as diplomatic efforts to secure peace collapsed in Istanbul on Friday. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said talks failed after Pakistan demanded Kabul take responsibility for its internal security — a request Afghanistan called “beyond our capacity.”

“The ceasefire that has been established has not been violated by us so far,” Mujahid told local reporters, adding that the Taliban government would continue to observe it.

The collapse marks the second major breakdown in negotiations between the two neighbors in less than a month. Both countries had signed a temporary ceasefire in Doha in October, following some of the deadliest border clashes since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, which killed dozens of soldiers on both sides.

On Friday, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif confirmed that the Istanbul talks — hosted with Turkish mediation — had failed to produce a long-term security framework. “The ceasefire will hold as long as there are no attacks from Afghan soil,” he said.

Turkey, which has been acting as an intermediary, expressed disappointment but vowed to keep facilitating dialogue. President Tayyip Erdoğan, speaking after a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Baku, said Ankara “hopes the process will yield results toward lasting stability.”

The relationship between Islamabad and Kabul has long been defined by a mix of proximity and mistrust. Pakistan was one of the few countries to maintain informal channels with the Taliban during their years in exile, but relations have soured since the Taliban retook Kabul. Islamabad accuses the group of sheltering militants from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — an allegation the Taliban denies.

Border skirmishes have become frequent, often sparked by cross-border militant activity or disputes over the Durand Line, the colonial-era frontier dividing the two nations. Thursday’s brief exchange of fire — coinciding with the Istanbul talks — underscored the volatility of the situation.

For both sides, the stakes are high. Pakistan faces rising domestic instability and economic strain, while Afghanistan continues to grapple with diplomatic isolation and humanitarian crises. Regional observers note that a sustained breakdown in talks could reignite violence in one of the world’s most militarized frontiers.

For now, the guns are silent. But as winter sets in, the uneasy peace between Kabul and Islamabad may depend less on diplomacy — and more on restraint.