Afghanistan and Pakistan, two neighboring countries with a long and often fraught history, are once again at a crossroads. On Saturday, October 25, 2025, delegations from both nations are set to meet in Istanbul, Turkey, for a second round of crisis talks aimed at easing the latest surge in border violence—a surge that has left dozens dead and hundreds injured in just two weeks, according to reports from the Associated Press and ABC News.
The urgency of these talks cannot be overstated. The recent escalation began after a series of explosions rocked Kabul, the Afghan capital. The Taliban government in Kabul quickly pointed the finger at Pakistan, launching retaliatory attacks along the border. Islamabad, in turn, responded with what it described as “precision strikes” against armed groups on Afghan soil. The result? A tragic string of confrontations, with civilians and soldiers alike caught in the crossfire, especially in southern Kandahar Province and the border town of Spin Boldak, where Pakistani airstrikes killed residents and destroyed homes, as reported by AP and Digital Journal.
Both sides accuse each other of aggression. Pakistan’s government claims Afghanistan is turning a blind eye to armed groups—particularly the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP—who allegedly cross the border to launch attacks. Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, for their part, flatly reject this accusation. The border, known as the Durand Line and stretching over 2,600 kilometers, has long been a source of tension. Afghanistan does not officially recognize the line, and repeated clashes have only deepened the mistrust, according to The Economic Times.
Last weekend, Qatar and Turkey stepped in to mediate a ceasefire. That truce, though fragile, has largely held, bringing a temporary restoration of calm along the border. However, the border remains closed to all but Afghan refugees leaving Pakistan—a closure that has had immediate and painful economic repercussions. Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry estimates that traders are losing millions of dollars every day due to halted border transit and trade, a fact confirmed by multiple outlets including ABC News and AP.
The Istanbul talks follow an earlier round of discussions in Doha on October 19, also facilitated by Qatar and Turkey. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, the previous talks focused on immediate measures to halt cross-border terrorism and restore peace. Andrabi told journalists, “There has been no major full-scale terrorist attack emanating from Afghan soil in the last two to three days. So, the Doha talks and outcome were fruitful. We would like the trend to continue in Istanbul and post-Istanbul.”
The delegations themselves reflect the high stakes. The Afghan side is led by Deputy Interior Minister Haji Najib—also referred to as Mawlawi Rahmatullah Najeeb in some reports—according to the Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid. “The remaining issues will be discussed at this meeting,” Mujahid said in a statement cited by AP and The Economic Times. Pakistan, meanwhile, has not disclosed the members of its delegation, but Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi has been vocal about Islamabad’s expectations.
For Islamabad, the central demand is clear: Afghanistan must “regain control” over fighters based on its soil, especially those associated with the TTP, who Pakistan views as terrorists. Andrabi emphasized the need for a “concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism” to address what he called “the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil towards Pakistan and prevent any further loss of life of Pakistanis.” He added, “We are not asking for the moon.”
Afghanistan, for its part, has its own priorities. The Taliban government insists the talks must ensure the country’s territorial integrity. The confrontations, after all, began with the explosions in Kabul and escalated while the Taliban foreign minister was visiting India—a significant diplomatic move given the historic rivalry between India and Pakistan and Pakistan’s longstanding support for the Taliban, as noted by Deutsche Welle and Digital Journal.
The Istanbul negotiations are expected to go beyond just a temporary truce. According to analysts like Ibraheem Bahiss of the International Crisis Group, the talks are “quite essential because that’s where the so-called mechanism would be agreed on in terms of when Pakistan has concerns that anti-Pakistan elements inside Afghanistan are doing things against Pakistan.” Bahiss explained to AFP that this mechanism could involve intelligence sharing, with Pakistan providing coordinates of suspected TTP fighters and Afghanistan expected to take action—rather than Pakistan carrying out strikes itself. Still, Bahiss cautioned, “I’m not so hopeful that a technical mechanism will really address the fundamental drivers of this escalatory cycle.”
The stakes are high not just for security, but for the livelihoods of ordinary people. The closure of the border has had a devastating impact on commerce, especially for traders dependent on cross-border transit. Millions of dollars are being lost each day, and the economic pain is being felt on both sides, as reported by Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Turkey, the host of the upcoming talks, has expressed support for the peace efforts but has not released details about Saturday’s meeting. Turkish officials have pledged to “continue to support the efforts” to strengthen peace and stability, echoing the sentiments of mediators in Doha.
The path forward is fraught with challenges. The initial 48-hour ceasefire, hastily declared after the first round of violence, collapsed almost immediately, with each side blaming the other. The second truce, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, has so far held, but its terms remain unclear and the risk of renewed violence looms large.
What both sides want is, at least on the surface, straightforward: Afghanistan seeks to safeguard its territorial sovereignty, while Pakistan wants to end cross-border attacks and ensure its citizens’ safety. But the deep-seated mistrust, the presence of armed groups along the border, and the broader regional dynamics—especially the roles of India and longstanding alliances—make a lasting solution elusive.
As negotiators gather in Istanbul, the world watches closely. The outcome of these talks could determine not just the fate of the border region, but the broader trajectory of relations between two countries that have often been at odds, yet remain inextricably linked by geography, history, and the lives of millions who call the borderlands home.
With the border still closed to most transit, the violence paused but not forgotten, and the economic and human costs mounting, the stakes for Saturday’s meeting could hardly be higher. Whether this latest attempt at dialogue can break the cycle of accusation and retaliation remains to be seen, but for now, hope rests on the negotiating table in Istanbul.
