Pakistan's Defense Minister Threatens War with Taliban as Afghan-Pakistan Peace Talks Begin in Turkey

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif delivered a stark warning to the Taliban government on the eve of renewed peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Istanbul. During a televised interview on Wednesday, Asif declared that "War will happen" when questioned if military confrontation was the only remaining option to address issues with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

This inflammatory statement has significantly heightened tensions just hours before senior delegations from both countries were scheduled to meet in Turkey under the mediation efforts of Turkiye and Qatar. The timing of these remarks has cast significant doubt over diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving weeks of deadly border clashes and drone strikes.

Asif further alleged that Kabul harbors militants and ignores cross-border attacks. Afghanistan has responded by condemning Pakistan's "drone warfare on civilians" and its "silence over training ISIS terrorists."

The "Afghan-Pakistan Peace Talks" commencing Thursday in Istanbul seek to preserve a fragile ceasefire that was previously negotiated in Doha. The prior round of discussions in Istanbul concluded with heated exchanges but did produce a joint statement on October 30, wherein both sides committed to extending the truce and reconvening to establish a monitoring and verification mechanism for border stability.

Afghanistan's delegation is led by Intelligence Chief Abdul Haq Wasiq and includes senior Islamic Emirate member Anas Haqqani, acting ambassador to Qatar Suhail Shaheen, Deputy Interior Minister Rahmatullah Najib, and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi. Pakistan's team is headed by National Security Adviser and ISI Chief Lieutenant General Muhammad Asim, highlighting Islamabad's emphasis on security concerns rather than political reconciliation.

The discussions are expected to address ongoing border conflicts, drone operations, and Pakistan's closure of commercial border crossings, which has severely impacted bilateral trade. According to Afghanistan's Tolo News, data from the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment reveals that over 8,000 Afghan containers are currently stranded in Pakistan, with 4,000 more awaiting entry, causing substantial economic losses for both nations.

Diplomatic tensions escalated further when Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a firm rebuke to Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who claimed Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi had called him "six times in one day." Kabul dismissed this statement as "false and inconsistent with diplomatic ethics," maintaining that only two official contacts occurred "in mutual coordination."

Compounding the controversy, Ishaq Dar publicly criticized Pakistan's intelligence service ISI, referencing a viral 2021 photograph from Kabul showing its then-chief with a "cup of tea." Dar remarked that "That cup of tea proved expensive for Pakistan," suggesting that the ISI's celebration of the Taliban's return had empowered extremists who subsequently turned against Pakistan.

In their joint communique from October 30, Turkiye and Qatar commended both sides' "active participation" while cautioning that "peace depends on accountability and restraint." The mediators are anticipated to advocate for a joint verification mechanism to investigate and address ceasefire violations.

However, with Pakistan's recent threats and Kabul's defiant response, the Istanbul meeting begins under considerable pressure. Analysts caution that unless both governments moderate their inflammatory rhetoric and control border hostilities, the fragile truce and broader prospects for regional stability could collapse before meaningful discussions even commence.