Istanbul/Islamabad/Kabul, November 8 (Udaipur Kiran): The latest round of peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan concluded in Istanbul on Friday without any agreement, with both sides failing to bridge deep differences. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed late Friday that the dialogue had ended, adding that it was uncertain when the next round would take place.

The third round of Pakistan-Afghanistan talks began on Thursday in Turkey’s Istanbul, with discussions held behind closed doors. Despite mediation efforts by Turkey and Qatar, negotiators could not reach common ground. The Pakistani delegation has since departed for home.

Speaking to Geo News, Asif said, “As of now, the talks are over.” Earlier reports from officials and sources suggested that the dialogue had stalled without any concrete progress. A senior security official told reporters that the discussions had reached a “deadlock.”

The minister added that the Afghan Taliban delegation refused to sign a written agreement, insisting instead on a verbal understanding. Calling the outcome disappointing, Asif said Pakistan was returning “empty-handed” but clarified that the current ceasefire remains in place. He warned, however, that any violation by Afghanistan would be met with an appropriate response.

Asif reiterated Pakistan’s main demand — that Afghan soil must not be used for attacks against Pakistan. The Pakistani delegation was led by Lt Gen Aseem Malik, Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and included senior military, intelligence, and foreign office officials. The Afghan side was headed by Abdul Haq Wasiq, chief of the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), accompanied by Suhail Shaheen, Anas Haqqani, and Deputy Interior Minister Rahmatullah Najib.

The dialogue was initiated after border clashes between the two countries in early October. The first two rounds were held in Doha, while the Istanbul round aimed to finalize monitoring mechanisms for border and security cooperation. However, no direct meeting took place between the delegations on Friday.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi, Islamabad’s team presented its stance “comprehensively and with evidence.” Meanwhile, Afghan negotiators described their proposals as “logical and acceptable,” accusing Pakistan of making “unrealistic and aggressive” demands that could further complicate relations.

Afghan outlet Tolo News reported that both delegations presented their positions to Turkish and Qatari mediators on the first day. Sources claimed that Pakistan again raised demands “unrelated to Afghanistan,” including the relocation of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members from Pakistan to Afghan territory.

In response, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan demanded that Pakistan not allow its land or airspace to be used for operations against Afghanistan or any other country. Political analyst Aziz Marez termed the statements “contradictory,” adding that the TTP issue is fundamentally an internal matter of Pakistan.