Recent peace negotiations between Afghanistan and Pakistan hosted in Turkey appear to have reached a standstill following a period of conflict resulting in significant casualties in September and October. During the talks, Pakistan disclosed having a binding agreement with a foreign nation allowing drone strikes inside Afghanistan, as reported by TOLO News in Afghanistan.
According to the report, the Pakistani delegation expressed limitations in preventing these drone attacks due to the terms of the undisclosed agreement with a third country, demonstrating a lack of control in the matter.
TOLO News highlighted that this admission marked the first acknowledgment of such an agreement by Pakistan, emphasizing the delegation’s inability to impede these strikes without violating the agreement. The specific foreign country involved in this arrangement remains undisclosed.
Despite efforts, an agreement remained unattainable as the Pakistani delegates urged their Afghan counterparts to recognize Islamabad’s authority to conduct strikes within Afghan territory in response to TTP attacks.
Notably, the Pakistani delegation’s disorganized presentation and lack of clear arguments indicated a reluctance to engage in productive negotiations, with a focus on withdrawal rather than constructive dialogue, as reported by TOLO News.
These developments come in the wake of Pakistan solidifying its defense ties with Saudi Arabia through a significant Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement in September, aimed at enhancing military collaboration and economic relations between the two nations.
Concurrently, Pakistan has strengthened its strategic alliance with the United States under President Donald Trump, evident through high-level engagements such as PM Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to meet President Trump at the Oval Office, accompanied by army chief Asim Munir.
In a separate context, President Trump publicly demanded the return of the Bagram airbase from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, warning of potential consequences if the airbase’s transfer did not occur. Sharif has notably praised Trump’s leadership and his role in fostering the India-Pakistan ceasefire, even nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The talks in Istanbul between Afghanistan and Pakistan concluded inconclusively, with both sides attributing the lack of progress to each other, resulting in no definitive resolution, according to Reuters citing informed sources.
The brief conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan in early September erupted following heightened TTP attacks on Pakistani forces, escalating into fatal clashes between the neighboring countries. This led to Pakistan conducting targeted airstrikes within Afghan territory, resulting in casualties and destruction in Kabul and Kandahar.
The subsequent drone strikes and jet bombings claimed over 200 lives on both sides, with reports of civilian casualties, including women and children, on the Afghan side. Pakistan maintained that its operations solely targeted TTP leaders.
In response, Afghan forces retaliated by targeting Pakistani border posts, resulting in casualties among Pakistani soldiers. The conflict escalated with artillery exchanges and ground confrontations in various locations along the border.
Prior to the ceasefire agreement, the Taliban government in Afghanistan accused Pakistan of carrying out drone strikes in Kabul, prompting diplomatic efforts from Pakistan involving mediators from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. These interventions led to a fragile 48-hour ceasefire, effective from October 15, albeit with reported violations and tensions.