Pakistan Warns of "Open War" with Afghanistan if Talks Fail

Strategic Insights

Oct 24, 2025 — 1 min read

Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has cautioned that his country will engage in "open war" with Afghanistan if the ongoing peace talks in Istanbul fail to resolve the dispute and rising tensions along the Afghan-Pak border. The warning comes amidst a backdrop of weeks of deadly clashes and ceasefire violations. Despite a recent lull in incidents, Asif emphasized that the situation remains precarious and could deteriorate swiftly if diplomacy falters. The talks, led by Qatar and Turkiye, aim to implement the Doha Agreement, stop cross-border attacks, and rebuild trust between the two nations.

Key Takeaways:

Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has threatened to engage in "open war" with Afghanistan if the Istanbul talks fail.
The ongoing peace talks in Istanbul aim to resolve the dispute and rising tensions along the Afghan-Pak border, which have seen weeks of deadly clashes and ceasefire violations.
Delegations from both countries are meeting in Turkey for the second round of discussions, covering key points such as creating a joint monitoring system, ensuring respect for sovereignty, and rebuilding trust.
The talks include discussions on stopping the forced deportation of Afghan refugees and keeping the refugee issue out of politics.
Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan migrants for decades and has been a major source of support for the country.
The clashes erupted after Islamabad demanded that the Taliban government curb militants attacking Pakistan from inside Afghanistan, leading to airstrikes and exchange of heavy fire.

Statistics:

Over a million Afghan refugees are currently residing in Pakistan (Source: UNHCR).
The clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries on both sides (Source: TOLO News).
The Doha Agreement aims to implement a comprehensive peace process between Pakistan and Afghanistan, including ceasefires, border management, and rebuilding of trust (Source: Observer Research Foundation).
Pakistan has provided significant economic assistance to Afghanistan, despite the challenges posed by the Taliban's takeover (Source: World Bank).
The Istanbul talks mark the second round of discussions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, following the first round held in Doha on October 18 and 19 (Source: Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Sources:

TOLO News
ANI
Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Observer Research Foundation
UNHCR
World Bank