Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan`s Minister of Defense, has issued a stark warning that if the ongoing peace talks with the Taliban fail, Pakistan will enter a "full-scale war" with the group in Afghanistan.

According to AnsarPress, Asif made the remarks on Saturday in Sialkot, coinciding with the start of the second round of negotiations between the two sides in Istanbul, Turkey.

Speaking to reporters, Asif said:

"The Afghans are acting as India`s proxies against us."

He expressed regret that "Afghans are supporting terrorism inside Pakistan," despite the fact that Pakistan hosted them for over four decades.

The defense minister said he remains hopeful that both sides will reach an agreement guaranteeing lasting peace in the region.

Asif, who led Pakistan`s delegation during the first round of talks in Doha, confirmed that since the ceasefire agreement in Doha, there has been no further hostility along the border between the two countries.

He added that "about 80% of the points agreed upon in Doha are now being implemented."

Asif also noted that during the Doha negotiations, he "sensed a genuine willingness for peace" from the Taliban side.

The Taliban and Pakistan reached an immediate ceasefire agreement last week, brokered by Qatar and Turkey, following a week of intense fighting and border tensions.

Today, the second round of negotiations began in Istanbul, focusing on detailed arrangements for maintaining the truce and preventing future border clashes.

The Taliban delegation is led by Rahmatullah Najib, Deputy Minister of Interior, and includes Suhail Shaheen (acting Taliban ambassador to Qatar), Anas Haqqani (senior Taliban figure), Noor Rahman Nusrat (Deputy Operations Minister of Defense), Noor Ahmad Noor (Director of the Political Department at the Foreign Ministry), and Abdul Qahar Balkhi (Foreign Ministry spokesperson).

Pakistan has not officially announced the members of its delegation, though local media report that the team includes senior political and intelligence officials.

Observers say the Istanbul talks are expected to focus on creating a joint monitoring mechanism to ensure border stability and long-term peace - a critical step after weeks of escalation that pushed both nations to the brink of open conflict.