PEACE talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul have ended without agreement, with the sides trading blame for the breakdown in negotiations aimed at easing border tensions and upholding a fragile ceasefire.

Tensions have escalated in recent weeks following deadly border fighting that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians. 

The violence erupted after explosions in Kabul on October 9, which Afghanistan’s Taliban government said were the result of drone strikes conducted by Pakistan, which it vowed to avenge. 

The clashes subsided after Qatar brokered a ceasefire on October 19.

Afghan government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid blamed Pakistan for the talks’ failure, saying on Saturday that “Pakistan’s demands in the negotiations were unreasonable and the talks could not proceed, and are at a standstill for now.”

Mr Mujahid told a press conference in the Afghan city of Kandahar that Afghanistan “[does] not want insecurity in the region and entering into war is not our first choice,” but he noted that “if war breaks out, we have the right to defend ourselves.”

The two-day talks in Istanbul, mediated by Turkey and Qatar, were the third round of peace negotiations that were viewed as one of the most significant diplomatic efforts between the two neighbours since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021.

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told the Geo News channel on Friday night that the “talks are over” and that the Pakistani delegation was returning home with “no plan for any future meetings.”

He added that the ceasefire would remain in place as long as “it is not violated from the Afghan side.”

During his news conference, Mr Mujahid rejected accusations that Afghanistan was responsible for the actions of the Pakistani Taliban, saying the creation of the group had long predated the Taliban’s 2021 takeover of Afghanistan.

The talks collapsed the night after Afghan officials reported that four civilians had been killed and five wounded in cross-border clashes.