Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following high-level negotiations in Doha, where both sides also decided to establish a permanent mechanism to ensure lasting peace and stability between the two neighbours, state-run PTV News reported on Sunday.
Amid heightened tensions along the Pak-Afghan border, a high-level Pakistani delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif travelled to Doha on Saturday for talks[1] with Afghan Taliban officials, aimed at ending cross-border hostilities and addressing Pakistan’s security concerns. Facilitated by Qatar, the talks followed days of clashes and Pakistani strikes[2] on Gul Bahadur group camps in Afghanistan, after a 48-hour ceasefire[3] was extended to allow negotiations.
A post on the X account of PTV News, citing the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “During the negotiations held in Doha between Pakistan and Afghanistan, both countries agreed on an immediate ceasefire.”
“During the talks, both countries not only agreed on an immediate ceasefire but also decided to establish a permanent mechanism for bilateral peace and stability,” the post said.
The statement further noted that both countries will hold follow-up meetings in the coming days to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire and its sustained continuity.
“These measures will prove beneficial in promoting security and stability in both Pakistan and Afghanistan,” it said.
According to the post, the negotiations, hosted by the State of Qatar with Turkey acting as mediator, continued for 13 hours.
Cross-border escalation
On the night of October 11, Afghan forces launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistani border posts, sparking a series of clashes[4] that left 23 Pakistani soldiers martyred and over 200 Taliban and affiliated militants dead, according to the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The Pakistan military responded with precision strikes inside Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and Kabul, targeting militant camps and border positions, while urging Kabul to act against groups operating from its soil.
Afghanistan claimed it carried out the border attack as a “retaliatory” measure, accusing Islamabad of conducting air strikes[5] in its territory last Thursday — a charge Islamabad has neither confirmed nor denied[6].
Clashes broke out again earlier this week on Tuesday, with the Afghan Taliban and Fitna al Khawarij exchanging[7] fire with Pakistan troops at the Kurram border. Pakistan followed this on Wednesday by launching “precision strikes” in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and Kabul.
The Foreign Office on Wednesday announced that a temporary ceasefire[8] had been agreed with Afghanistan for the next 48 hours amid the recent border hostilities, due to expire at 6pm PKT on Friday. Later on Friday, the ceasefire was extended[9], according to a senior diplomatic source.
Additionally, Pakistan again targeted[10] terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan that same day. Incidents were reported from the Angoor Adda region and across Afghanistan’s Urgun and Barmal districts of Paktika province as strikes were conducted against hideouts of the outlawed Hafiz Gul Bahadur group.
The attacks came on the heels of an audacious gun-and-bomb attack targeting a military installation[11] in North Waziristan, and just hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended the two-day ceasefire.
More to follow
References
- ^ talks (www.dawn.com)
- ^ strikes (www.dawn.com)
- ^ 48-hour ceasefire (www.dawn.com)
- ^ clashes (www.dawn.com)
- ^ air strikes (www.dawn.com)
- ^ neither confirmed nor denied (www.dawn.com)
- ^ exchanging (www.dawn.com)
- ^ temporary ceasefire (www.dawn.com)
- ^ extended (www.dawn.com)
- ^ targeted (www.dawn.com)
- ^ military installation (www.dawn.com)