Pakistan and Afghanistan: Seeking Peace at the Border

Pakistan and Afghan officials are preparing for a pivotal second round of talks in Turkey, slated for Saturday, aiming to address border tensions and curb terrorist activities from Afghan territory. The discussions follow an initial meeting in Doha, Qatar, that momentarily restored calm along the volatile border.

Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed the scheduled talks, emphasizing Islamabad’s desire for the establishment of a verifiable monitoring mechanism. He urged Afghanistan to take concrete actions against militant groups like the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), responsible for violence emanating from Afghan soil.

The talks will see Pakistan push for regional peace without escalation, amid growing distrust sustained by recent militant attacks on Pakistani soil following the Taliban's rise to power in Kabul in 2021. Afghanistan's failure to rein in TTP militants has led to ongoing skirmishes along the contentious Durand Line border.