‘US Drone Deal, Demands To Strike TTP Bases…’ What Led To Failure Of Afghanistan-Pakistan Peace Talks

New Delhi: The latest round of peace negotiations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, held in Istanbul, ended abruptly on Tuesday without any agreement or joint statement after the Pakistani delegation walked out of the talks.

According to sources, the Pakistani representatives “fled from the negotiating table”, bringing discussions to a sudden halt. Afghan media reports confirmed that the talks “did not appear to be in the right tone”, and instead of presenting coherent arguments or working towards solutions, the Pakistani side behaved “rudely and inappropriately” during the session.

Sources present at the talks said the Pakistani delegation demanded that Afghanistan formally recognise Pakistan’s “right” to carry out attacks inside Afghan territory in response to cross-border assaults by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or other militant groups. The Afghan side strongly rejected this demand, calling it an unacceptable breach of sovereignty.

For the first time, Pakistan also admitted during the Istanbul negotiations that it has an agreement with the United States allowing American drones to enter Afghan airspace from Pakistani territory. The delegation said it could not stop these operations because the agreement “cannot be violated”.

In response, the Afghan representatives demanded that Pakistan provide guarantees that it would not violate Afghan airspace and would not allow US drones to use its territory for such operations. Initially, the Pakistani side appeared to accept certain assurances, but according to sources, it later reneged on its promises after receiving a phone call during the meeting. Following the call, Pakistani negotiators reportedly stated that they had “no control over American drones” and “could not guarantee the defeat of ISIS”.

Sources also said that Qatari and Turkish mediators, who were facilitating the dialogue, were “surprised by the Pakistani delegation’s inconsistent and unprofessional conduct”.

The abrupt end of the Istanbul talks highlights the deep mistrust and growing hostility between Kabul and Islamabad, particularly over issues of cross-border militancy and airspace violations. Afghan officials, who remained at the venue even after the Pakistani exit, said the walkout reflected Pakistan’s unwillingness to engage in “constructive or respectful diplomacy”.

Observers now warn that the breakdown of these talks could further escalate regional tensions, as both nations face increasing domestic instability and international pressure to contain extremist groups operating along their shared border.