Pakistan: Taliban’s Oral Promises Not Acceptable, Says Defense Minister
Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s Defense Minister, announced that the third round of talks between his country and the Taliban administration ended without any results, and the negotiation process is now at an ‘uncertain’ standstill.
In an interview with Geo News, he stated that both sides failed to overcome significant differences, and the continuation of these negotiations is currently ruled out. He said, ‘As we speak, the negotiations are over.’
This round of talks began on Thursday, mediated by Turkey and Qatar, in Istanbul and was expected to last two days; however, according to Pakistani media reports, the meetings concluded without reaching any agreements.
Asif added that the Taliban delegation attended the negotiations without a clear agenda and refused to sign any written documents. According to him, the Taliban representatives insisted only on oral agreements, a method that Islamabad finds unacceptable.
The Pakistani delegation in these negotiations was led by Asim Munir, head of the country’s intelligence agency, with several officials from the Foreign Ministry and the military also participating in the discussions.
The failure of this round of negotiations marks another indication of the deep rift between the Taliban and one of Afghanistan’s key neighbors. Recent statements from Pakistan have increasingly criticized the Taliban administration, especially following the rise in attacks by militant groups along the border, which Islamabad holds the Taliban responsible for.
