‘Only War If…’: Khawaja Asif’s BIG Warning Ahead Of Pakistan-Afghanistan Talks | World News
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif warned in an interview with a local media channel that if negotiations with the Afghan Taliban fail, there will be “only war”. He also confirmed that a delegation from Islamabad was leaving for Istanbul to meet with the Afghan Taliban in a bid to resolve current tensions.
Khawaja Asif’s “war” statement came during an interview with Geo TV. Meanwhile, after days of border clashes, the second round of talks between Pakistani and Afghan Taliban delegations started in Istanbul on October 25.
Also Read: Afghanistan and Pakistan Prepare for Third and ‘Final Round’ of Talks After Previous Attempts Failed
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Pakistan-Afghanistan Talks
A breakthrough was achieved when Türkiye and Qatar intervened to revive the dialogue process for the second time in less than a week. This came after Pakistan announced on October 29 that the talks had “failed” and negotiators were preparing to return home.
During the talks, agreement was reached on three points:
– Continuation of the ceasefire,
– Establishing a monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure peace
– Penalties for violations.
According to ANI’s news based on Dawn, the operational details of the mechanism are expected to be finalized when senior representatives of both sides meet again in Istanbul on November 6.
Speaking to the press outside the parliament, Asif said, “The delegation left today and negotiations will begin tomorrow morning. Let’s hope Afghanistan uses its mind and peace is restored in the region.”
When asked about the possibility of a positive outcome, Asif said, “Talks are held only if there is a possibility of progress, otherwise it is a waste of time.”
Separately, the defense minister refused to share details about discussions on the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment and said the draft would take its “final form” next week before being presented to Parliament.
Pakistan-Afghanistan Tension
The tension began after the Taliban attacked Pakistan from Afghan territory on the night of October 11, following allegations that Pakistan had carried out an airstrike; Islamabad neither confirmed nor denied this accusation.
The two sides first met in Doha, established a temporary ceasefire, and agreed to meet again in Istanbul to finalize mechanisms for long-term peace and stability.
Türkiye and Qatar, which have strong ties with Pakistan, were the main facilitators of the negotiations.
(with ANI entries)
