Pakistan Issues ‘Open War’ Warning to Afghanistan Over Peace Talks
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has declared that Islamabad will launch an “open war” against Afghanistan if ongoing peace talks in Istanbul fail to produce an agreement.
Key Developments
- Pakistan threatens “open war” if Istanbul peace talks collapse
- Talks follow deadly border clashes and temporary ceasefire
- Recent Pakistani airstrikes killed 10 in Afghanistan, including children
- Afghanistan withdraws from cricket series after cricketers’ deaths
Direct Threat from Pakistan
“We have the option, if no agreement takes place, we have an open war with them. But I saw that they want peace,” Asif told Reuters during the critical negotiations in Turkey.
Escalating Border Tensions
The Istanbul talks represent the latest effort to prevent renewed violence after the worst border fighting since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover of Kabul. Tensions escalated when Pakistan urged Kabul to curb militants operating from Afghan safe havens – a claim the Taliban government denies.
Recent Military Actions
Following earlier Doha peace talks, Pakistan conducted fresh airstrikes inside Afghanistan last week, resulting in 10 casualties including two children. Pakistani officials described these as “precision aerial strikes” targeting the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, a faction linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Sports Impact
The Afghanistan Cricket Board withdrew from a scheduled T20 tri-series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka after announcing that three Afghan cricketers were killed in Pakistan’s Paktika province.
The peace negotiations, facilitated by Qatar and Turkey, continue as both nations attempt to address mutual security concerns and avoid further escalation.
