Pakistan Warns Afghanistan of ‘No Compromise’ on Cross-Border Terrorism at Istanbul Talks
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan has told Afghanistan that there will be “no compromise” on its demand to end cross-border terrorism, a senior Pakistani security official said following high-level talks between the two sides in Istanbul aimed at easing recent border tensions.
The discussions, hosted by Türkiye, came after deadly border clashes and Pakistani airstrikes earlier this month that left dozens dead on both sides. The violence followed an attack that killed 12 Pakistani soldiers, prompting Islamabad to accuse Kabul of sheltering militants belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — a claim the Afghan Taliban denies.
According to the Pakistani official, Islamabad presented its “final position” in Istanbul, demanding “concrete and verifiable action” from the Taliban against groups using Afghan territory to target Pakistan. The official accused Kabul of a “lack of seriousness” and said its attitude was becoming evident to other participants, including the Turkish hosts.
The warning came hours after Pakistan’s military reported that five soldiers and 25 TTP militants were killed in separate operations near the Afghan border, saying the infiltration attempts occurred “even as the Istanbul talks were underway.”
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the timing of the attacks raised doubts about the Taliban government’s intentions regarding its commitments to curb terrorism.
Afghanistan, however, has rejected Pakistan’s allegations, accusing Islamabad of violating its sovereignty with recent airstrikes and insisting that Pakistan’s security problems are internal matters.
The talks in Istanbul follow a ceasefire agreement reached in Doha on October 19, but relations between the two neighbors remain strained amid mutual recriminations and growing regional complexities.
