Pakistan minister warns of ‘open war’ with Afghanistan if peace talks fail

 The warning from the defense minister comes as nations hold talks in Istanbul to consolidate the Doha ceasefire from last week.

In Istanbul, officials from Pakistan and Afghanistan met to discuss how to keep the recent ceasefire agreement between the two countries in effect. The Pakistani defense minister warned of "open war" if the efforts were unsuccessful. The talks, which started on Saturday and are expected to go on Sunday, come just a few days after Qatar and Turkiye brokered a truce in Doha to put an end to the deadly clashes between the neighbors. Hundreds of people were injured, and dozens were killed in the cross-border violence.

“We have the option, if no agreement takes place, we have an open war with them,” Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said from the eastern Pakistani city of Sialkot on Saturday.

 “But I saw that they want peace,” he added.

 Al Jazeera's Sinem Koseoglu reported from Istanbul that Turkiye's "technical-level talks" are expected to "pave the way for a permanent solution between the two neighbours." While Afghanistan’s Deputy Interior Minister Haji Najib is leading his country’s delegation in Turkiye, Pakistan has not given details about its representatives.

 On Friday, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the negotiations must address “the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil towards Pakistan”.

 Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of harbouring what it calls “terrorist groups”, including the Pakistani Taliban (TPP).  Kabul denies the allegation and has blamed Islamabad for violating its sovereignty through military strikes.