Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire after a week of deadly border clashes, marking the worst violence since 2021. The truce was reached during Doha talks mediated by Qatar and Turkey, with both sides set to meet again in Istanbul on October 25 to ensure its implementation. Pakistan said its military action targeted elements of Fitnah al-Khawarij operating from Afghan territory, while stressing its commitment to regional peace and stability.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 19: Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following a week of deadly border clashes — the most intense since the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021. The agreement was reached during talks in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, marking a crucial step toward de-escalating rising tensions between the two neighbours.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif confirmed on Sunday that the ceasefire “has been finalised,” adding that both delegations will meet again on October 25 in Istanbul to discuss detailed mechanisms for maintaining peace along the border.
“Pakistan remains committed to regional peace and stability. The ceasefire is a positive step forward, but its sustainability depends on mutual trust and the sincere implementation of commitments,” Asif stated on X (formerly Twitter).
The Doha negotiations were led by Defence Minister Asif and his Afghan counterpart Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob, with Qatar’s foreign ministry announcing that follow-up meetings will focus on “ensuring the sustainability of the ceasefire and verifying its implementation in a reliable and sustainable manner.”
Background: Week of Intense Fighting
The ceasefire follows a week of fierce ground clashes and Pakistani airstrikes along the rugged 2,600-kilometre frontier, which claimed dozens of lives and left hundreds injured. Islamabad said its military action came in response to escalating cross-border attacks launched from Afghan territory by elements of Fitnah al-Khawarij.
Pakistan has long accused Fitnah al-Khawarij groups of operating from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, using the border regions to plan and execute attacks against Pakistani security forces.
“The Afghan regime must rein in the proxies who have sanctuaries in Afghanistan and are using Afghan soil to perpetrate heinous attacks inside Pakistan,” Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir said on Saturday at a cadet graduation ceremony.
The violence peaked on Friday, when a suicide attack near the border killed seven Pakistani soldiers and wounded 13 others. Islamabad described the assault as another example of cross-border aggression by Fitnah al-Khawarij elements operating from Afghan territory.
Analysts view the ceasefire as a temporary reprieve in an increasingly volatile relationship between Islamabad and Kabul. While both governments stress the need for stability, Pakistan has emphasized that peace is impossible unless Afghanistan takes concrete steps against Fitnah al-Khawarij networks targeting Pakistan’s security forces and civilians.
As both sides prepare for further dialogue in Istanbul, the coming days will be critical in determining whether the ceasefire can hold — and whether the two neighbours can rebuild trust after one of the most serious flare-ups in recent years.
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