The dispute between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban government remains unresolved. Talks for a peace agreement between the two countries are not progressing. Pakistan has accused the Taliban of adopting a stubborn stance. According to media reports, Pakistan has said that the Taliban is making baseless arguments. Which is completely wrong. Overall, the meeting between the Taliban and Pakistan in Turkey, which lasted for about nine hours, ended without any formal agreement.
After the recent border conflict between the two countries, the two countries are now negotiating for a settlement. Qatar and Turkey are mediating between them. The first round of peace talks was held in the Qatari capital Doha. The second round of talks began on October 19 in the Turkish capital Istanbul.
According to Pakistani media reports, Pakistan has asked the Taliban to cooperate in counter-terrorism operations. Pakistan has presented the Taliban with numerous evidence of cross-border terrorism and has proposed a solution to the issue. Pakistan is also reported to have discussed developing a policy to monitor terrorist activities and resolve trade issues between the two countries.
According to the report, Pakistan and the Taliban also discussed a political settlement between the two countries. However, the Taliban has not given any concrete response. Pakistani officials say that the Taliban is not ready to cooperate or accept the ground realities. Turkey is also reported to be trying to convince the Taliban to resolve the issue. The report quotes Pakistani officials as saying that future operations will depend on the Taliban’s decision.
Pakistan has told the Taliban that it will not tolerate cross-border terrorism. Pakistan has also threatened to wage war on Afghanistan if peace talks fail. As soon as the talks began, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif warned that if the peace talks fail, war with the Taliban will break out.
America has also entered the fray. US President Donald Trump, who claims to have ended eight wars, has said that he will also mediate for peace between Afghanistan and Pakistan. During the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, Trump said, “I have heard that a war has started between Pakistan and Afghanistan, but I will resolve it very soon. I know both of them.” Trump praised the Pakistani Prime Minister and Field Marshal and said, “They are great people, and there is no doubt, we will resolve this issue soon.”
Pakistan has blamed Afghan terrorists for several attacks on its army. Pakistan alleges that the Taliban is sheltering and supporting these terrorists. Which has been the cause of the long-standing tension between the two countries. In early October, there was a clash between the armies of both countries on the Pakistan and Afghanistan border. After that, Pakistan launched an airstrike on the Afghan capital Kabul. Terrorist hideouts were targeted. In response, the Taliban attacked Pakistan. After this war that lasted for a few days, Turkey, Qatar and other countries came together to broker a ceasefire between the two. Now, both sides are holding peace talks for a settlement.
