On October 19, after a week of intense border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the two countries have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following peace talks in Doha, Qatar.
The ceasefire agreement was facilitated by the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs with assistance from Turkey. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that representatives from both countries reached a consensus on an immediate ceasefire during negotiations on Saturday (18th). They have also agreed to hold follow-up meetings in the coming days to ensure the ceasefire is implemented “continuously and credibly”.
A spokesperson for the Afghan government indicated that a delegation led by Defense Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob arrived in Doha for negotiations with the Pakistani delegation. Pakistan was represented by Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, with discussions focusing on issues such as “curbing cross-border terrorism” and “restoring border peace and stability”.
The border dispute between the two countries originated from Islamabad’s demand for Kabul to stop armed groups from Afghanistan carrying out cross-border attacks on Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban government denied these claims, accusing the Pakistani military of spreading misinformation and even harboring terrorists associated with ISIS to destabilize Afghanistan’s stability and sovereignty.
The border dispute between the two countries has also spilled into the diplomatic arena. Recently, reports surfaced that three “Afghan cricketers” were killed in an airstrike in the border region. The International Cricket Council (ICC) subsequently issued a brief statement expressing condolences for the victims and condemning the violence. In response, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced the withdrawal of Afghanistan from the upcoming T20 Tri-Series scheduled to be held in Pakistan next month.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar criticized the claims on the social media platform X, stating that there is no independent evidence supporting the allegations being presented as facts. He emphasized that Pakistan is a “major victim of cross-border terrorism” and called on the ICC to correct the information.
Tarar clarified that Pakistan’s military targeted “verified militant camps” in the airstrikes, denied targeting civilians, and accused Afghan armed groups of attempting to infiltrate Pakistani territory and launch attacks during the temporary ceasefire.
The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan stretches over 2,600 kilometers, and relations between the two countries have deteriorated significantly in recent years. The clashes over the past week have resulted in dozens of fatalities and hundreds of injuries, marking the most severe bilateral conflicts since the Taliban regained power in 2021.
The ceasefire agreement mediated by Qatar and Turkey has temporarily provided a window for de-escalation between the conflicting parties, but mutual trust remains fragile.
According to Afghan sources, Pakistan allegedly conducted air raids in eastern Afghanistan hours after extending a 48-hour temporary ceasefire on Friday, resulting in civilian casualties. Kabul stated that while reserving the right to respond, Afghan security forces have been ordered not to retaliate to maintain the negotiation process.
Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, Asim Munir, emphasized during a military academy graduation ceremony on Saturday the need for Afghan authorities to “restrain proxy armed groups operating within their territory” and cease using Afghan soil to launch attacks on Pakistan.
(This article references reporting from Reuters)