Tue Oct 28 11:26:34 UTC 2025: ## News Article: Pakistan-Afghanistan Talks Stall in Turkey, Agreement Elusive

Islamabad, October 28, 2025 (The Hindu): Three days of intense negotiations in Turkey between Pakistan and Afghanistan have failed to produce a final agreement on cross-border tensions, raising concerns about a potential escalation of conflict. Despite initial optimism, the talks, which commenced on Saturday, October 25th, and concluded on Monday, October 27th, remain deadlocked over the crucial issue of verifiable action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory.

According to sources quoted by the Dawn newspaper, while significant progress was made on several points, Afghanistan’s reluctance to provide concrete guarantees regarding the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remains a major stumbling block.

“We kept hoping that we would be able to sign a mutual document with Afghanistan soon, followed by a joint statement, but it remains out of our reach,” a source told Dawn.

Optimism fluctuated throughout the talks, with initial positive signals on Monday fading as the day progressed and discussions stretched into the evening. While the Afghan delegation expressed hope for a positive outcome, stressing that the remaining disagreements were “few” and “resolvable,” Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued a stark warning on Saturday, cautioning of an “all-out war” should the talks fail.

Mediators from Turkey and Qatar, who facilitated the negotiations, are reportedly urging both sides to maintain engagement and prevent the process from collapsing. Diplomatic sources emphasized the significance of the continued dialogue, even without a breakthrough, highlighting the commitment of both nations to finding a resolution.

“Even if the talks didn’t produce a breakthrough, the fact that both sides stayed engaged for three straight days is important,” one mediator said.

The stalled negotiations come after a period of heightened tensions earlier this month, which saw dozens of casualties in cross-border clashes. A temporary peace was established on October 19th following earlier talks in Doha.

As of late Monday evening, negotiators were considering extending discussions for a fourth day. The outcome of these efforts remains uncertain, with the prospect of continued instability along the volatile border looming large.

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