Afghan officials say four Afghan civilians have been killed and five others injured in border clashes.
Published November 7, 2025
Pakistan-Afghanistan talks in Istanbul are at a stalemate, Islamabad said. A day later, both countries accused each other of escalating border clashes that risked violating a Qatar-brokered ceasefire.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar gave an update on the talks on Friday, after Afghan officials said four Afghan civilians were killed and five injured in clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces along their shared border, despite joint negotiations.
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There was no immediate comment from Kabul on Pakistan’s claims.
In a statement thanking Turkiye and Qatar for brokering the talks, Talal asserted that the Afghan Taliban have not fulfilled their commitments to the international community on curbing “terrorism” under the 2021 Doha Peace Agreement.
Tarar said Pakistan “will not support any steps taken by the Taliban government that are not in the interest of the Afghan people and neighboring countries.” He did not elaborate further, but added that Islamabad continues to seek peace and goodwill for the Afghan people, but will take “all necessary measures” to protect its people and sovereignty.
Ali Mohammad Hakmal, director of information and culture at Spin Bolduc, blamed Pakistan for starting the shooting. However, he said Afghan forces did not respond as peace talks continued between the two countries in Istanbul.
Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said the Afghans had opened fire.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said: “Pakistan remains committed to continued dialogue and looks forward to a mutually beneficial relationship from the Afghan authorities.”
The ministry said the ceasefire remains in place.
Andrabi said Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Asim Malik is leading the Pakistani delegation in negotiations with Afghanistan. Mujahid said the Afghan side was led by Abdul Haq Wasik, Director General of General Intelligence.
He said Pakistan had handed over the request to the mediator “with the sole purpose of ending cross-border terrorism” and that the mediator was “discussing Pakistan’s demands point by point with the Afghan Taliban delegation.”
a tense bond
Islamabad accuses Kabul of harboring insurgents, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which regularly claims deadly attacks in Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban deny the group protection.
Since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021, many Pakistani Taliban leaders and fighters are believed to have taken refuge in Afghanistan, further straining relations between the two countries.
At the end of last week’s talks, Turkiye said the parties had agreed to establish a monitoring and verification mechanism to maintain peace and penalize violators.
The clashes, which began on October 9, have left 50 civilians dead and 447 injured on the Afghan side of the border, according to the United Nations. At least five people were killed in the explosion in Kabul, which the Taliban blamed on Pakistan.
Pakistan’s military did not mention civilian casualties, reporting 23 soldiers killed and 29 wounded.
