Doha talks stall: No agreement yet between Afghanistan and Pakistan after deadly airstrikes

Qatar: Doha-hosted peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan’s defence ministers have made no headway so far, as both sides remain divided over recent cross-border airstrikes that have sharply escalated regional tensions.

The discussions, mediated by Qatar, aim to ease hostilities after Pakistan’s airstrikes on Friday reportedly killed at least 10 people in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. Among the dead were three Afghan cricketers, according to reports from Al Jazeera and AFP.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Afghanistan’s Defence Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob are leading the negotiations, which come amid worsening relations between Islamabad and Kabul.

Ahead of the talks, Pakistan stated it “does not seek escalation,” but accused Afghanistan of harbouring militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Pakistan said it expected the Taliban government to take “verifiable action” against these groups to restore peace along the frontier.

Afghanistan, however, rejected the accusations, with the Taliban government insisting Pakistan had violated its sovereignty by conducting unprovoked airstrikes. The Afghan Foreign Ministry said Kabul “reserves the right to respond” but remains hopeful the Doha talks will prevent further escalation.

“The Islamic Emirate is not a follower of war; rather, it was the Pakistani side that initiated the conflict by violating Afghanistan’s airspace,” the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid called the attacks “provocative and deliberate attempts to prolong the conflict” but confirmed that Taliban forces had been ordered not to retaliate while dialogue continued.

The talks come just days after Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi discussed Pakistan’s “airspace violations” with Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, signalling growing concern among neighbouring states.

Tensions between the two nations have risen sharply since the Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s southeastern Paktika province, which struck residential areas in Argun and Barmal districts. Afghan media outlet Tolo News reported that several civilians were killed and injured in the attacks.

Pakistan maintains that its actions targeted terrorist groups responsible for cross-border violence, while Afghanistan claims that innocent civilians were the victims.

The Doha talks, convened under Qatari mediation, are viewed as a crucial step to defuse the standoff and prevent further military escalation. However, diplomatic observers say the lack of immediate progress reflects deep mistrust between the two sides.

While both Kabul and Islamabad have expressed a willingness to pursue dialogue, neither appears ready to compromise on key security issues. The Taliban insists Pakistan must cease cross-border attacks, while Pakistan demands action against militant groups allegedly operating inside Afghan territory.

As the discussions continue, regional powers including Iran and Qatar are monitoring the outcome closely, concerned that further violence could destabilise the already fragile border region.
(With AFP inputs)