- Both neighbours agree to prolong 48-hour truce until conclusion of Doha negotiations
- Pakistan’s delegation to depart for talks tomorrow aimed at ensuring lasting border stability
- Security sources reject media reports claiming a Pakistani team already arrived in Doha, terming them ‘baseless’
- Islamabad says truce reflects both sides’ willingness to resolve border crisis through dialogue, not conflict
- FO reiterates Islamabad’s commitment to a peaceful, regionally connected Afghanistan but demands verifiable action against TTP and allied groups
ISLAMABAD: Amid heightened border tensions, Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday agreed to extend their 48-hour ceasefire until the conclusion of planned talks in Doha, signalling cautious progress toward de-escalation after a week of fierce clashes that left dozens dead and hundreds injured.
Security sources confirmed that Pakistan’s delegation is scheduled to depart for Doha on Saturday morning, rejecting media reports suggesting that officials had already reached the Qatari capital. They described such claims as “baseless,” adding that both sides had agreed to maintain calm on the frontier to facilitate dialogue.
The truce — initiated at Kabul’s request on Wednesday — had paused days of intense cross-border fighting between Pakistan’s armed forces and Afghan Taliban fighters, along with India-backed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, referred to by Islamabad as Fitna al-Khawarij. Pakistan’s military said it responded to unprovoked aggression in self-defence, killing over 200 Taliban and affiliated militants, while 23 Pakistani soldiers embraced martyrdom in the clashes.
The latest development comes hours after Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters that Islamabad and Kabul were “engaged in constructive dialogue aimed at a peaceful resolution to ongoing border tensions.” He said both sides were making “sincere efforts to find a positive resolution to this complex but solvable issue through constructive dialogue.”
Talks in Doha to shape next phase
Sources said that the ceasefire extension would remain in effect until talks in Doha conclude, with discussions expected to focus on preventing future hostilities and ensuring that Afghan territory is not used for cross-border terrorism. Islamabad, the sources added, has insisted on “verifiable commitments” from Kabul regarding militant sanctuaries.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have seen escalating tensions in recent weeks amid the Taliban regime’s reluctance to act against terrorist groups operating from its soil. Officials in Islamabad have repeatedly cited a surge in attacks launched from Afghan territory, particularly by the TTP.
According to security reports, the latest round of clashes erupted on October 12 when Taliban forces and TTP fighters launched an unprovoked assault on Pakistani border posts. Pakistan’s military responded with what officials described as “precision strikes” targeting strongholds in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and in Kabul. These operations, they said, were “limited, targeted, and purely defensive in nature.”
PM Shehbaz: Ball now in Kabul’s court
Following the ceasefire announcement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan was ready to engage in dialogue with the Taliban government on “reasonable and justified terms,” emphasizing that the “ball is now in Kabul’s court” for a permanent cessation of hostilities.
The prime minister lauded Pakistan’s armed forces for their professional conduct and for safeguarding national sovereignty in the face of unprovoked aggression. “Our patience should not be mistaken for weakness,” he was quoted as saying, adding that Pakistan had consistently demonstrated its commitment to regional peace despite repeated provocations.
FO stresses dialogue, responsibility under Doha Process
During his weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan reiterated Pakistan’s desire for a “peaceful, stable, and regionally connected Afghanistan,” while stressing that Kabul must fulfil its commitments under the 2020 Doha Agreement. “Pakistan greatly values dialogue and diplomacy and continues to work towards a mutually beneficial relationship with Afghanistan,” he said.
However, Khan cautioned that Islamabad “will take all possible measures to safeguard its territory and the lives of its people.” He added that Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns over the presence of Fitna al-Khawarij (TTP) and Fitna al-Hindustan—a term used for India-backed militant networks in Balochistan—operating from Afghan territory.
“Pakistan expects concrete and verifiable action from the Taliban regime against these terrorist elements,” the FO spokesperson underscored.
Terrorism not an internal issue
The FO has strongly rejected the Taliban foreign minister’s statement describing terrorism as Pakistan’s internal issue, saying that Islamabad has repeatedly presented evidence of “Fitna al-Khawarij” and “Fitna al-Hindustan.”
In a statement, the FO said Pakistan is concerned over the provocations by the Afghan Taliban, Fitna al-Khawarij, and Fitna al-Hindustan. It asserted that Pakistan acted in its right of self-defense, emphasizing that its targets and defensive responses were not directed against the Afghan people.
FO Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said that a 48-hour ceasefire was observed at the request of the Afghan Taliban, reaffirming that Pakistan believes in dialogue. He categorically rejected Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s remarks made during his visit to India, reiterating that Pakistan has repeatedly presented evidence of Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan.
He noted that Pakistan had hosted over four million Afghan citizens and expressed hope that the Taliban government would take effective action against terrorism. He added that Pakistan’s measures regarding the presence of Afghan nationals were being taken in accordance with national law.
The spokesperson said Pakistan hopes that one day, the Afghan people will be governed by their true representatives.
The Foreign Office also rejected the joint statement issued during the Afghan interim foreign minister’s visit to India, in which Indian-occupied Kashmir was depicted as part of India.
It clarified that the joint communiqué signed in India amounts to denying the rights of the people of occupied Kashmir, and confirmed that the Foreign Secretary had briefed foreign diplomats on the situation following the recent aggression by the Afghan Taliban.
Escalation and accusations
The recent hostilities began on the night of October 11 when Afghan forces opened fire on Pakistani posts along the border, sparking a series of skirmishes that lasted several days. The clashes marked one of the most serious confrontations between the two neighbours since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
Afghan authorities, however, accused Pakistan of violating their sovereignty, claiming that its airstrikes had targeted civilian areas in Paktika province near the Durand Line and in parts of Kabul. Islamabad has refrained from directly acknowledging the operations, framing its actions as “legitimate self-defense” against cross-border terrorism.
A Foreign Office statement last week indirectly addressed the issue, saying that Pakistan’s counter-terrorism operations were “focused on eliminating threats emanating from militant groups using Afghan soil to target Pakistan’s security forces and civilians.”
Diplomatic friction
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained strained since the Taliban leadership repeatedly dismissed Pakistan’s concerns about the TTP presence in Afghanistan. Last week, Pakistan strongly criticised Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi for remarks made during his visit to India, where he suggested that Pakistan should “resolve its internal issues itself.”
The FO retorted that terrorism was “not an internal problem” and accused the Taliban government of “deflecting responsibility.” It reiterated that militants from Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan continue to find safe haven in Afghan territory.
Humanitarian and political backdrop
Despite the diplomatic and military strain, Pakistan has maintained that it does not seek escalation. Officials in Islamabad have underscored that Pakistan continues to support humanitarian assistance for the Afghan people and values “brotherly ties” between the two nations rooted in shared history, faith, and culture.
Security analysts noted that the latest ceasefire and planned Doha talks represent a rare opportunity to stabilise bilateral ties—provided that both sides can commit to verifiable anti-terror guarantees and a durable border management framework.
Sources said the upcoming dialogue would also touch on the repatriation of Afghan nationals illegally residing in Pakistan—a process that has already seen the return of over 1.47 million Afghans as of mid-October.
Outlook
While the ceasefire extension has temporarily calmed the frontier, both Pakistani and Afghan observers acknowledge that the truce remains fragile. Much now hinges on the outcome of the Doha talks and Kabul’s willingness to rein in groups targeting Pakistan from Afghan soil.
“The extension of the ceasefire offers a narrow but vital window for diplomacy,” one official familiar with the talks said. “But unless we see credible action against the TTP and affiliated networks, peace will remain elusive.”
For now, Islamabad appears determined to pursue dialogue while retaining the right to defend its borders—a stance that reflects both caution and resolve as Pakistan navigates one of its most complex regional challenges in years.
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