High-level talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan are set to resume today in Turkey. The development followed weeks of tension between the two countries. Ahead of the crucial meeting, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has issued a stark warning to Taliban. He said that if the negotiations collapse, it would force them to get into a ‘war’ with the Taliban.

The minister’s remarks came during an interview with Geo TV on the eve of the third round of dialogue, which will follow two earlier rounds in Doha and Istanbul that ended without a breakthrough. “If the negotiations fail, the situation will deteriorate further. We have our options. Considering how we are being targeted, we may respond in the same manner,” Asif said. When asked if this meant war, Asif replied, “Yes… only war.”

Pakistan – Afghanistan Peace Talks

Senior Afghan and Pakistani delegations are set to meet in Turkey under the mediation of Turkiye and Qatar. The Afghan team is led by Intelligence Chief Abdul Haq Wasiq, which will include senior Islamic Emirate member Anas Haqqani, acting ambassador to Qatar Suhail Shaheen, Deputy Interior Minister Rahmatullah Najib, and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi.

Pakistan’s delegation will be headed by National Security Adviser and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Lieutenant General Muhammad Asim. The delegation underscores Islamabad’s focus on security control rather than political conciliation.

What are the talks about?

The talks will focus on solving issues like frequent border clashes, drone strikes, and Pakistan’s decision to close its trade routes with Afghanistan. This closure has badly affected trade between the two countries.

According to data from the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, over 8,000 Afghan containers are stuck in Pakistan, and around 4,000 more are waiting to enter. This has caused heavy economic losses for both nations, as reported by Afghanistan’s Tolo News.