Can Pakistan-Afghanistan peace talks survive Islamabad, Delhi blasts?

"Less than two hours after a suicide blast at the entrance of the district court in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Tuesday, Khawaja Asif, the country's defence minister, called the attack a wake-up call and a war for all of Pakistan. The rulers of Kabul can stop terrorism in Pakistan, but bringing this war all the way to Islamabad is a message from Kabul, to which, praise be to God, Pakistan has the full strength to respond, he wrote on his X account."

"But that was followed by two unsuccessful rounds of talks in Istanbul aimed at cementing the ceasefire and turning it into a longer-term pathway for peace between the neighbours. Now, even as a Turkish delegation is due to arrive in Pakistan later this week to try to salvage those talks between Islamabad and Kabul, Tuesday's attack threatens to kill the already fragile prospects of any breakthrough,"

"Pakistan long enjoyed close ties with the Afghan Taliban, and many Pakistanis welcomed the group's return to power in August 2021. But relations have soured, largely over Islamabad's accusations that Kabul has provided sanctuary to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The Afghan Taliban reject Pakistan's accusations. An armed group that emerged in 2007, the TTP has waged a sustained campaign against Pakistan and is often described as the ideological twin of the Afghan Taliban."

A suicide blast at the district court entrance in Islamabad prompted defence minister Khawaja Asif to call the attack a wake-up call and a war for all of Pakistan. Asif accused Kabul of sending a message by bringing war to Islamabad and said Pakistan has the strength to respond. Pakistan and Afghanistan had signed a Doha ceasefire after deadly border fighting, but two rounds of Istanbul talks failed to cement a longer-term peace. A Turkish delegation is due to try to salvage talks, yet the Islamabad attack jeopardizes fragile prospects despite Taliban condemnation. Pakistan's ties with the Afghan Taliban have soured amid Islamabad's accusations that Kabul shelters the TTP. The TTP, formed in 2007, has waged a sustained campaign against Pakistan and is often described as the Afghan Taliban's ideological twin.

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