If any terrorism occurs from Afghanistan, Pakistan will respond, warns Defense Minister Khawaja Asif

After three rounds of talks held in Qatar and Istanbul, negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have ended without any tangible results, signaling a continued stalemate in diplomatic efforts between the two neighboring countries.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said in an exclusive interview with a private TV channel that negotiations with Afghanistan have failed. He revealed that three rounds of talks took place, including sessions in Qatar and Istanbul, but no concrete results were achieved.

“The only demand from Pakistan was that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism,” Khawaja Asif said. “However, the Afghan side was not ready to provide any guarantees. They spoke verbally but refused to commit formally, and unfortunately, the negotiations yielded no results.”

The minister emphasized that Afghanistan’s territory houses terrorist organizations operating globally, and the Kabul government does not have full control over the country.

He affirmed Pakistan’s capability to defend its territory, warning that any terrorist activity originating from Afghanistan would be met with a strong response.

Khawaja Asif also expressed that there is no longer a basis of trust with the Taliban-led government, while noting that Turkey and Qatar had made sincere efforts to mediate. He cautioned that tensions between the two countries could escalate.

The minister also stated about 27th constitutional amendment that  Pakistan had completed its position on the 27th constitutional amendment, although full consensus on all changes was not reached, and some proposals were dropped.

He added that discussions have already taken place with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Maulana Fazlur Rehman.