Afghan soldier on the border with Pakistan Photo: AFP / AFP / Profimedia
Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Saturday he was convinced Afghanistan wanted peace but that failure to reach an agreement at talks in Istanbul would mean “open war”, days after both countries agreed to a ceasefire following bloody armed clashes on the border, reports Reuters, taken by Agerpres.
The talks in Istanbul, which began on Saturday and are due to continue until Sunday, mark the latest attempt by Pakistan and Afghanistan to prevent a resurgence of violence after the worst armed clashes on the border since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
The talks in Istanbul are being held to establish a mechanism for the long-term implementation of the Doha ceasefire.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated that there have been no further incidents in recent days and that both sides are respecting the ceasefire.
“We have the option, if no agreement is reached, to have an open war with them,” he said, in statements broadcast by television stations in Pakistan. “But I saw that (Afghans) want peace,” he added.
Armed clashes erupted earlier this month after Islamabad asked the Taliban to stop militants it says are attacking Pakistan from bases inside Afghanistan.
Pakistan has launched airstrikes in Afghanistan and both sides have opened fire, killing dozens and prompting the closure of key border crossings that remain closed.
Islamabad accuses Kabul of harboring militants who target Pakistani forces. The Taliban reject the accusation and say that Pakistan's military operations violate Afghanistan's sovereignty.
