Recent peace talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban in Istanbul collapsed, with Pakistan initially blaming India for the failure, but reports suggest a secret deal with the U.S. regarding drone operations was the primary cause. The talks, which aimed to address cross-border terrorism and improve relations, ended abruptly after four days of negotiations.
Pakistani officials, including Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, accused India of using Afghanistan as a proxy to destabilize Pakistan. Asif claimed that India had "penetrated" the government in Kabul and was instigating a "low-intensity war" against Pakistan. He further alleged that negotiators from Afghanistan backtracked on agreements due to intervention from Kabul, influenced by Delhi.
However, reports indicate that the real reason for the collapse was the exposure of a clandestine agreement between Pakistan and the United States, allowing U.S. drone operations in Afghan airspace. Afghan negotiators demanded a written commitment from Pakistan to prevent violations of Afghan airspace and halt foreign drone flights over their territory. In return, Kabul would ensure that anti-Pakistan militant groups, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), would not operate from Afghan soil.
The talks reached a breaking point when the Pakistani delegation admitted to the agreement with the U.S., stating they could not break it. This revelation angered the Afghan delegation, who accused Pakistan of compromising Afghanistan's sovereignty. Sources described the Pakistani delegation's behavior as "disorderly and confrontational". They also reported that the delegation demanded that Afghanistan formally recognize Pakistan's right to conduct attacks inside Afghan territory against the TTP, a demand the Afghan side rejected as a breach of sovereignty.
According to reports, the Pakistani side initially seemed willing to consider Kabul's terms but changed course after receiving a phone call, believed to be from Pakistan's high command. Following the call, the Pakistani negotiators stated they had "no control over American drones" and "could not guarantee the defeat of ISIS".
The collapse of the talks highlights the complex and strained relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, particularly since the Taliban's return to power in 2021. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of providing shelter to militants launching attacks across the border. The Taliban, however, deny these allegations and accuse Pakistan of using the "terrorism" label for political purposes.
Amidst the accusations and counter-accusations, the exposure of the secret drone deal has added a new layer of complexity to the situation. It has exposed the duplicity of Pakistan's military establishment, which has long denied such collaboration while accusing others of violating its sovereignty. The incident has further strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan and raised questions about the future of peace efforts in the region.
