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Islamabad, Pakistan \u2013<\/strong> Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to resume talks in Istanbul at the request of mediator Turkiye after earlier rounds between Islamabad and Kabul failed<\/span> to resolve spiralling tensions between the neighbours that have exploded into military clashes in recent weeks.<\/p>\n Pakistani security officials said Islamabad\u2019s delegation had been planning to depart from the Turkish city after a previous round of talks, spanning four days, ended in a deadlock. Now, however, the team will remain in Istanbul to continue negotiations on Thursday.<\/p>\n \u201cPakistan has once again stressed that Afghan soil should not be used for terrorism against Pakistan. We appreciate the constructive role of our hosts and remain committed to seeking a peaceful resolution in good faith,\u201d a security official told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the dialogue.<\/p>\n Afghan media have also reported, quoting sources, that after the intervention of host Turkiye and mediator Qatar, the two countries have agreed to resume their talks, which had ended earlier this week.<\/p>\n The two neighbours were engaged in a weeklong border conflict<\/span> this month in which both sides suffered casualties. After the skirmishes, mediation by Qatar and Turkiye led to a ceasefire signed by the defence ministers of Pakistan and Afghanistan on October 19 in Doha<\/span> in the presence of officials from both mediating nations.<\/p>\n The subsequent round of talks began in Istanbul on Saturday<\/span> and continued for four days, but the parties failed to reach a consensus on Islamabad\u2019s central demand that Kabul crack down on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an armed group often called the Pakistan Taliban, which has been long accused by Pakistan of carrying out deadly attacks inside its territory.<\/p>\n The TTP emerged in 2007 during the US-led \u201cwar on terror\u201d and has since waged a sustained campaign against the Pakistani state. Islamabad accuses Kabul of providing sanctuary not only to the TTP but also to other armed groups, including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the ISIL (ISIS) affiliate in Khorasan Province (ISKP). The Afghan Taliban denies the allegations.<\/p>\n The Afghan Taliban, who took power for a second time in August 2021 after the withdrawal of US forces, has maintained that the TTP issue is an internal Pakistani matter. They have also long considered ISKP a rival and enemy.<\/p>\n After Pakistan confirmed the failure of the previous talks, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued a lengthy statement on X, warning of an all-out attack against the Afghan Taliban. He accused the \u201cregime\u201d of \u201cblindly pushing Afghanistan into yet another conflict, just to retain its usurped rule and maintain the war economy that sustains them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe warmongers amongst the Taliban regime, who have vested interests in the continuation of instability in the region, should know that they have probably misread our resolve and courage,\u201d Asif wrote on Wednesday.<\/p>\n So far, the Afghan Taliban has not responded to Asif\u2019s remarks.<\/p>\n Sweden-based security researcher Abdul Sayed, who studies armed groups in South and Central Asia, said Asif\u2019s comments signalled that Pakistan was prepared to resume air strikes in Afghanistan but the decision to return to negotiations reflected a potential shift.<\/p>\n \u201cThe resumption of dialogue suggests either that the issue causing the earlier deadlock has been resolved or that the Pakistani delegation, at the mediators\u2019 request, has shown flexibility in its stance to make another attempt to resolve the matter through negotiation,\u201d Sayed told Al Jazeera.<\/p>\n Asif, in an interview to a TV channel on Wednesday, also alleged that India was waging a \u201clow intensity\u201d war in Pakistan through the Afghan Taliban, claiming Islamabad possesses evidence of Indian involvement. He, however, did not share any evidence to back his claim.<\/p>\n Pakistan and India engaged in a four-day conflict<\/span> in May. While New Delhi accuses Islamabad of harbouring armed groups that launch cross-border attacks, Pakistan has historically alleged that India supports Baloch separatist groups demanding an independent Balochistan, Pakistan\u2019s mineral-rich province.<\/p>\n This year, however, also saw a thaw in relations between the Afghan Taliban and the Indian government. A series of meetings and diplomatic exchanges culminated in a visit to New Delhi<\/span> by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi this month.<\/p>\n Sayed noted the recent escalation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border began during Muttaqi\u2019s visit to India.<\/p>\n \u201cPakistan has long maintained that India uses Afghan territory to create challenges for it. Even during the rule of the Afghan Taliban, traditionally Pakistan\u2019s longstanding allies, these concerns persisted,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWithin the tensions of Islamabad-Kabul relations, India remains a crucial factor,\u201d Sayed added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n