Pakistan and Afghanistan are set to hold a second round of crisis talks in Turkey after recent border clashes left dozens dead and hundreds injured, officials from both countries said on Friday.
The neighbours have been locked in a bitter dispute over cross-border security and militant activity, with each side accusing the other of aggression. Pakistan alleges that Afghanistan’s Taliban government has turned a blind eye to armed groups launching attacks from Afghan soil, a claim Kabul strongly denies.
Last weekend, Qatar and Turkey stepped in to mediate a temporary ceasefire to halt escalating hostilities. The truce has largely held, though the border remains closed, except for Afghan refugees leaving Pakistan.
The closure has taken a heavy toll on traders, with Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry reporting losses of millions of dollars daily as cross-border transit and trade have come to a standstill.
Southern Afghanistan’s Kandahar Province, particularly the Spin Boldak border region, witnessed some of the heaviest violence. Pakistani airstrikes reportedly destroyed homes and killed several people, deepening tensions between the two countries.
On Friday, Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that Deputy Interior Minister Haji Najib would lead Kabul’s delegation to Istanbul. “The remaining issues will be discussed at this meeting,” he added, without revealing further details.
In Islamabad, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Tahir Andrabi, struck a cautiously optimistic tone, noting that there had been no major cross-border attacks in recent days. “The Doha talks and outcome were fruitful. We would like the trend to continue in Istanbul and post-Istanbul,” Andrabi said at a press briefing.
He reiterated Pakistan’s demand that Afghanistan control and apprehend armed groups operating along the shared border. “We are not asking for the moon,” he said.