Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following talks in Qatar, in an effort to restore calm along their border after recent clashes that left dozens dead.
The agreement was reached during negotiations that began on Saturday in Doha. According to a statement released on Sunday by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides also committed to establishing mechanisms for lasting peace and stability.
Details of the agreement were not disclosed. However, Doha stated that follow-up meetings between Afghan and Pakistani officials are scheduled in the coming days to ensure its implementation, describing the agreement as “a significant step forward.”
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, who attended the talks, confirmed the ceasefire on social media platform X. He announced that the two nations would hold further discussions in Istanbul on 25 October.
He expressed gratitude to Qatar and Turkey for mediating the negotiations, referring to them as “brotherly countries.” The dialogue comes after Afghanistan accused Pakistan of breaking a previous truce on Friday night. Kabul alleged that Pakistani strikes killed at least ten civilians, including two children and three cricket players, in Paktika province.
Pakistan’s security sources acknowledged conducting “precision airstrikes” in Afghan territory, claiming they had targeted an armed group. The Taliban government declared it reserved the right to retaliate, but its spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, urged Afghanistan’s forces to refrain from further action out of respect for the ongoing negotiations.
A ceasefire announced last Wednesday was set to last 48 hours, according to Pakistan. However, Afghanistan maintained it would remain effective unless violated. Violence resumed after the initial truce, leading to explosions in Kabul and deadly clashes that persisted until Friday night’s strikes.
On Saturday, funerals were held in Paktika’s Urgun district for civilians who were killed in the strikes, with hundreds of mourners attending, an AFP journalist reported. The recent escalation continues a pattern of recurring tensions fuelled by disputes over migration and security issues.
