On 29 October, after the first round of peace talks held in Istanbul failed, Pakistan threatened to 'obliterate' the ruling Taliban government. Pakistan’s Information Minister
Attaullah Tarar stated that the dialogue "failed to bring about any workable solution," despite mediation by both Turkey and Qatar. Pakistani Defence Minister
Khawaja Asif stated that Afghan negotiators backpaddled on an agreement. An Afghan official said that Pakistan made "unreasonable demands" during the talks and did not address Afghan concerns regarding alleged cross-border airspace violations and the use of Pakistani territory by militant groups to carry out attacks in Afghanistan. On 30 October, after the resumption of peace talks, it was decided that the truce would extend for another week. On 5 November, ahead of the third round of talks in Istanbul, Khawaja Asif reiterated that there'd be escalation and war if the talks fail. There were brief exchanges of fire along the border on 7 November which left 5 people dead and 6 injured on Afghan side. On 8 November, peace talks broke down again but the ceasefire remained in effect.
Zabihullah Mujahid stated that negotiations failed because Pakistan had demanded Afghanistan take responsibility for Pakistan’s internal security, which he said was beyond Afghanistan’s capacity. Rahmatullah Najib, deputy interior minister and a member of the negotiation team, stated that talks failed because Pakistan, backed by mediators, requested a
Fatwa by
Hibatullah Akhundzada declaring all ongoing warfare in Pakistan illegitimate. He said the Taliban delegation did not reject the idea outright but insisted that only the Dar al-Ifta could issue such a ruling, and that any Fatwa would be based solely on Islamic law, not foreign pressure. Najib acknowledged that this conditional stance was unacceptable to Pakistan and contributed to the talks ending without concrete results. Khawaja Asif noted that the ceasefire would continue provided no attacks originated from Afghan territory. However, on 11 November, after declaring a "state of war" over a
bombing incident in
Islamabad, Asif stated that placing hope in negotiations with the 'rulers in Kabul' would be a mistake, accusing Afghanistan of not preventing the attacks while Afghanistan denied any responsibility. In an interview with a Pakistani newspaper, Asif stated that Pakistan’s efforts to stabilize its strained relationship with the Taliban depend on obtaining a written guarantee from the Taliban to halt cross-border attacks, and that this commitment should be backed by regional powers, including
Turkey,
Saudi Arabia, the
United Arab Emirates,
Iran,
China, and
Qatar. He later stated that he had no positive expectations left from Taliban. On 3 December, mediation attempts by Saudi Arabia failed.
Sports relations In response to the death of three local cricketers in
Paktika Province, the
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) withdrew from a
T20I tri-nation series between the
Afghanistan,
Pakistan, and
Sri Lanka national
cricket teams which was set to be hosted in Pakistan. Despite Afghanistan's withdrawal, the
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that
Zimbabwe would replace Afghanistan, simply stating that it had been notified of "Afghanistan's inability" to partake in the series. The PCB further stated that the series would continue as scheduled, with games to be played in
Lahore and
Rawalpindi.
In Afghanistan During the clashes, the Taliban shut down
Shamshad TV, a private broadcaster in Kabul, accusing it of failing to "adequately" cover the recent border fighting with Pakistan and of not defending the "Taliban’s position." The suspension, following a direct order from the Taliban’s
General Directorate of Intelligence, has raised concerns about media freedom in Afghanistan. Shamshad TV, one of the few outlets providing relatively independent coverage of regional and political developments, was criticized for not aligning with the Taliban’s narrative. Media organizations such as the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) and the Afghanistan Media Support Organization (AMSO) condemned the move as blatant interference in the press and called for the reversal of the decision, stressing that such actions violate media independence and freedom of expression. Shamshad TV has yet to comment on the shutdown. On 24 October, Afghan Supreme Leader
Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered a dam to be constructed on the
Kunar River, directing water away from Pakistan in response to the conflict. However, six months later, construction of proposed Kunar Dam had not started and no formal progress update had been released regarding the status of dam. The project also faces uncertainty as Kunar River’s flow originates in Pakistan (
Chitral), Pakistan can regulate, restrict, or divert upstream water, potentially limiting the project’s viability and reducing downstream flows. On 14 November, Afghan government announced that traders have a three-month deadline to shift to other trade routes away from Pakistan, particularly shifting trade to Iran's
Chabahar Port due to a 30% cut in port tariffs for Afghan cargo. Zalmai Azimi, a board member of the Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce, stated that many traders are unable to afford alternative trade routes. He noted that the Karachi route had been the most affordable and reliable transit option for Afghan goods, ensuring timely delivery. According to
World Bank, Afghanistan's exports rose in October despite the closure of border by Pakistan, with World Bank attributing the increase to higher exports to India and Uzbekistan. The Taliban's clashes with Pakistan also led to a surge in its popularity in Afghanistan. The prolonged closure of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border resulted in increase in inflation in Afghanistan, and economists warn that continued closures could worsen shortages of essential goods such as food and medicine. The closure has already disrupted trade and contributed to sharp increase in prices of food, fuel, medicine, and construction materials across the country. In Kabul, residents said that staples such as flour, rice, cooking oil, and vegetables have become much more expensive, and frequent price changes combined with limited market oversight has made it difficult for families to afford basic goods. With unemployment already high and work opportunities scarce, many households had to cut back on consumption, buy smaller quantities, or go without some essential items. The continued closure of border also forced containers of aid meant for Afghanistan to remain at the border or at
Karachi port despite a humanitarian crisis impacting more than 20 million Afghans.
In Pakistan After the eight-day military standoff, Pakistan sharply increased the deportation of Afghan migrants, expelling nearly 5,900 individuals on 29 October and more than 7,300 the previous day, according to Afghanistan’s Taliban-run Commission for Refugees and Repatriation. Rights groups warned that the mass expulsions could exacerbate Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis. Pakistan kept its border with Afghanistan indefinitely closed and demanded security guarantees from Taliban as a condition for reopening it. Following the halt of Pakistan-Afghanistan trade, food inflation in Pakistan, particularly in
Islamabad and
Rawalpindi, surged due to disrupted imports and stranded shipments at the border. The cost of fruits, vegetables, and other essential food items rose sharply. After the border closure,
Peshawar markets, particularly Afghan-operated ones, saw a sharp decline in activity, with significantly fewer shoppers and stranded trucks carrying goods. The trade suspension disrupted commerce and affected the livelihoods of both Pakistani and Afghan traders. China's economic interests in Pakistan were threatened. According to the
Middle East Institute, the broader Chinese planning in the region encompassing Afghanistan and Pakistan was adversely affected as result of continued hostilities. == Analysis ==