Peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Turkey have stalled after Pakistan made a stunning admission — for the first time, Islamabad publicly acknowledged that it cannot stop drone strikes inside Afghanistan because of a binding secret agreement with a foreign country. The revelation, reported by Afghanistan’s TOLO News, has cast a shadow over the fragile ceasefire between the two neighbours, which followed a brief but intense war that killed hundreds in September and October.
According to diplomatic sources, Pakistan’s delegation in Ankara told Afghan negotiators that it was powerless to prevent drone attacks since it was constrained by an undisclosed pact with another nation. The admission marked a rare moment of transparency in Pakistan’s long-standing ambiguity about its role in regional drone operations. TOLO News reported that the Pakistani side confessed it “has an agreement with a foreign country allowing drone strikes, and breaking that agreement is not possible.” However, the identity of the foreign nation involved was not disclosed, leaving observers to speculate whether the United States was the unnamed party.
The discussions quickly deteriorated after Islamabad requested that Kabul officially recognise Pakistan’s right to conduct strikes inside Afghan territory if attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) persisted. Afghan negotiators reportedly rejected this demand outright, accusing Pakistan of using counterterrorism as a pretext for sovereignty violations. Sources described the Pakistani delegation as “disorganised and uncoordinated,” appearing more interested in withdrawing from talks than achieving a breakthrough.
The disclosure comes at a politically sensitive time for Pakistan, which has recently tightened both defence and diplomatic ties with the United States and Saudi Arabia. In September, Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Riyadh, pledging military cooperation against external threats and expanding bilateral economic engagement. Simultaneously, Islamabad’s relationship with Washington has deepened under President Donald Trump, following a series of high-profile meetings between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Asim Munir, and US officials.
Trump, who has adopted a hard stance on Afghanistan, has repeatedly demanded that the United States regain control of the Bagram airbase — a major facility vacated after the 2021 US withdrawal. In a statement earlier this year, he warned that “bad things would happen” if the airbase was not returned, a remark that underscored Washington’s renewed strategic interest in the region. Sharif, in turn, has publicly praised Trump’s foreign policy and nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, describing his mediation in the India-Pakistan ceasefire as “historic.”
The latest impasse in Turkey follows a bloody flare-up between the two countries that erupted in early September. Pakistan launched air and drone strikes deep inside Afghanistan, claiming to target TTP militants in Kabul and Kandahar after a surge in cross-border attacks. Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of killing civilians, reporting dozens of deaths, including women and children, in an eastern marketplace.
In response, Taliban forces shelled Pakistani military outposts along the Durand Line, triggering fierce artillery exchanges in volatile regions such as Spin Boldak and Kurram. Pakistani officials confirmed at least 23 soldiers were killed and hundreds wounded during the clashes, while Afghan sources estimated more than 200 deaths across both sides.
As tensions rose, regional powers including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United States intervened diplomatically, pressuring both sides to halt hostilities. The mediation produced a fragile 48-hour ceasefire on October 15, which has since held tenuously amid recurring accusations of violations. Despite the truce, the revelation of Pakistan’s secret drone deal has deepened mistrust and cast doubt over future peace prospects, with analysts warning that the disclosure could destabilise already fragile regional dynamics.
