Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Saturday expressed serious concerns about the situation on the border with Afghanistan. Politician warned that failure to reach an agreement during scheduled peace talks in Istanbul could lead to “open war” between the two countries.
On October 19, Pakistan and Afghanistan reached an agreement on an immediate ceasefire. This decision was made after over a week of intense border fightingwhich claimed dozens of victims. As part of the ceasefire, both countries committed to further talks aimed at maintaining the durability of the ceasefire and monitoring its compliance.
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Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring members of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an Islamist insurgent groupwhich has been attacking Pakistani security forces since 2007. The TTP seeks to overthrow the government in Islamabad and introduce fundamentalist Islamic law. Kabul strongly denies these allegations.
The problem is further complicated by the fact that Both sides are divided by a border of over 2.6 thousand kilometers. km, which Afghanistan has never officially recognized. The dispute over the border line, known as the Durand Line, remains one of the main points of tension between the neighbors.
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Minister Asif expressed hope that Afghanistan is interested in a peaceful solution to the conflict. But his warning of possible escalation underscores how fragile the current relationship between Islamabad and Kabul is. The outcome of the upcoming talks in Istanbul may prove crucial for the stability of the region.
