The Istanbul peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan&rsquo;s Taliban government ended this week in quiet disarray and behind the diplomatic smiles lay a revelation too large to contain. What began as cautious optimism over border security and ceasefire assurances unraveled after Islamabad&rsquo;s delegation reportedly confirmed something Afghan officials had long suspected: Pakistan has a standing agreement with the United States permitting drone operations from its territory.
The four-day dialogue was meant to repair fragile trust along the Durand Line after months of cross-border shelling and airstrikes. Afghan negotiators arrived seeking written assurances that Pakistan would respect Afghan airspace and prevent any foreign drones from crossing it. In return, Kabul had offered to curb activities of anti-Pakistan militants along the border, including members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.
But midway through the meetings, a shift occurred. Delegates said the Pakistani side, initially open to compromise, grew hesitant after receiving a phone call believed to have come from the country&rsquo;s higher command. Moments later, officials admitted that drone operations by a &ldquo;foreign partner&rdquo; were beyond their control. It was an implicit acknowledgment of the quiet arrangement with Washington that has long been whispered about in regional circles.
&ldquo;For the first time, Pakistan admitted it has an agreement with the United States allowing drone strikes, and claimed it cannot break that agreement,&rdquo; an Afghan negotiator said, describing the room as &ldquo;stunned into silence.&rdquo;
Soon after, Pakistan&rsquo;s defence minister Khawaja Asif appeared on national television blaming India for undermining the process, calling Kabul&rsquo;s representatives &ldquo;puppets controlled by Delhi.&rdquo; The charge was quickly dismissed by Afghan officials, who pointed instead to the moment Pakistan&rsquo;s tone changed after the mysterious call. Afghan journalist Tameem Bahiss wrote on X that Islamabad had effectively acknowledged signing a pact that permits drones to operate within its airspace &ldquo;for surveillance and potential strikes inside Afghanistan.&rdquo;
The breakdown has left the border truce hanging by a thread. Over 200 people on both sides have died in recent months amid repeated flare-ups. Kabul accuses Pakistan of using air and drone strikes that have killed civilians, while Islamabad insists it is targeting militants threatening its security. In a sharp warning, Afghanistan&rsquo;s defence minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid declared that &ldquo;any fresh violation of Afghan airspace will be met with a reciprocal response.&rdquo;
With both nations trading accusations and Washington staying quiet, analysts say the Istanbul collapse underscores a deeper reality, Pakistan&rsquo;s balancing act between American security cooperation and regional diplomacy may have reached its breaking point. What Islamabad framed as India&rsquo;s sabotage appears instead to be a casualty of its own secret commitments in the sky.

Drone Pact Exposed as Pakistan Talks Collapse

Secret US deal triggers Pakistan-Taliban fallout, not Indian interference as claimed

Drone Pact Exposed as Pakistan Talks Collapse

Secret US deal triggers Pakistan-Taliban fallout, not Indian interference as claimed

October 30, 2025 | 21:05 IST