ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Friday it holds the Taliban administration in Kabul responsible for stopping cross-border militant attacks, as Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told a private news channel talks between the two countries in Türkiye had collapsed, adding the ceasefire would hold if there were no attacks from Afghan soil.

Pakistan and Afghanistan resumed talks in Istanbul on Thursday after a series of fierce border clashes last month that killed dozens of people on both sides before a ceasefire was mediated by Qatar and Türkiye. The fighting followed Pakistan’s accusations that Afghanistan shelters militants who launch cross-border attacks targeting civilians and security forces. Afghanistan has denied the allegations in the past, describing Pakistan’s security challenges as an internal matter.

During the previous round of negotiations in Istanbul, both countries had agreed to extend the ceasefire with a monitoring and verification mechanism developed with the help of the mediating nations. However, they on Friday confirmed another border skirmish near Chaman in southwestern Balochistan, with Afghan medics reporting five deaths and the two countries trading blame for the incident.

“There is a complete deadlock,” the defense minister told Geo News, adding there was no plan for another round of talks with the Afghan authorities.

“Our only demand is that Afghanistan must ensure its soil is not used for attacks on Pakistan,” he said. “If there is any attack from Afghan soil, we will respond accordingly.”

Asif maintained as long as there was no aggression from the Afghan side, the ceasefire would remain intact.

Prior to his announcement, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a statement Pakistan stood firmly on its “principled position that responsibility for curbing terrorism emanating from Afghan soil lies with Afghanistan.” 

“The Afghan Taliban have so far failed to fulfil their international, regional and bilateral commitments under the 2021 Doha Peace Agreement,” he added.

Tarar said Pakistan held goodwill toward the Afghan people and wanted a peaceful future for them. However, he maintained the Taliban government’s actions were not in the interest of the Afghan people or neighboring states.

“Pakistan will continue all necessary measures to protect its people and sovereignty,” he added.

‘EVIDENCE-BASED’ DEMANDS

Earlier in the day, the foreign office in Islamabad said Pakistan had presented “evidence-based” demands to mediators Qatar and Türkiye during the talks in Istanbul, pressing Kabul to take concrete action against militant groups involved in cross-border attacks targeting Pakistani civilians and security forces.

“Yesterday our talks with the Afghan Taliban regime commenced in Istanbul with the presence and participation of the mediators,” spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said at a weekly news briefing. “Pakistan’s delegation has handed over its evidence-based, justified, and logical demands to the mediators with a singular aim to put an end to cross-border terrorism.”

Andrabi said the mediators “fully endorsed” Pakistan’s stance on the basis of the evidence provided by its side as well as international law and principles.

He added that they were discussing Pakistan’s demands with the Afghan Taliban delegation “point by point.”

Last week, Andrabi said Afghanistan, contrary to its publicly stated position, had acknowledged the presence of anti-Pakistan militants on its soil during the previous round of talks in Istanbul. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid also told

Afghan media on Sunday Pakistan had rejected Kabul’s proposal “to expel individuals whom Islamabad considers a threat” from Afghanistan during the negotiations, a claim dismissed by Pakistani officials.

“Pakistan had demanded that terrorists in Afghanistan posing a threat to Pakistan be controlled or arrested,” the information ministry said in a social media post. “When the Afghan side said that they were Pakistani nationals, Pakistan immediately proposed that they be handed over through designated border posts, consistent with Pakistan’s long-standing position.”

It added that the Afghan narrative over the issue was both “false and misleading.”

On Friday night, state-run Pakistan TV also reported that National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. Asim Malik, who was leading the Pakistani delegation, had left the talks that had ended without agreement.

It added that the Pakistani negotiating team was heading to Istanbul airport to return home.