Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to continue ceasefire as Istanbul talks gain traction

• Next high-level meeting set for November 6 to finalise peace framework
• Joint mechanism to monitor the ceasefire and penalize violations agreed in principle
• Türkiye, Qatar praised for mediating breakthrough after week-long stalemate

ISLAMABAD/ISTANBUL: Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed early Friday morning to extend the ongoing ceasefire, marking a cautious step toward de-escalation after weeks of heightened tensions and cross-border clashes that had brought the two neighbours to the brink of open conflict.

The breakthrough came following marathon discussions in Istanbul between delegations from Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban regime, mediated by Türkiye and Qatar. The talks, which began last Saturday, were fraught with disagreements over Pakistan’s long-standing concern that terror groups continue to operate from Afghan soil.

For most of the week, negotiations appeared deadlocked, with both sides holding firm to their positions. However, diplomatic intervention by the mediators late Thursday night brought the two delegations back to the table, paving the way for a limited but significant consensus.

In a joint statement released after the conclusion of the latest round of dialogue, both sides agreed to maintain the ceasefire and to establish a “monitoring and verification mechanism” designed to prevent violations and hold accountable any party that breaches the truce.

“All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure the maintenance of peace and impose penalties on the violating party,” the joint communiqué stated, as released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye.

Joint Statement on the Talks Between Afghanistan and Pakistan Through the Mediation of Türkiye and Qatar https://t.co/y1SH30i88Q pic.twitter.com/wH4GW3SC9k

— Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) October 30, 2025

The statement added that the specific “modalities of the implementation” would be discussed and finalised at a principal-level meeting scheduled for November 6 in Istanbul.

Türkiye and Qatar, who served as facilitators throughout the process, lauded both delegations for their “active contribution” and reaffirmed their joint commitment to “continue cooperation with both sides for lasting peace and stability.”

Both mediating nations maintain long-standing and strategic relationships with Pakistan, while Qatar also played a critical role in past negotiations between the Afghan Taliban and NATO forces prior to the 2021 withdrawal from Kabul.

A fragile calm after weeks of hostilities

The latest breakthrough follows one of the sharpest downturns in Pakistan–Afghanistan relations since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. The deterioration began earlier this month after a cross-border attack on the night of October 11, which Islamabad said originated from Afghan territory.

The assault came shortly after the Taliban government accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes inside Afghanistan—an allegation Islamabad has neither confirmed nor denied. The exchange of accusations quickly spiraled into an escalation of hostilities, including a series of skirmishes along the Pak-Afghan border.

Pakistani forces later conducted targeted strikes on hideouts of the Gul Bahadur group, a faction Islamabad blames for orchestrating attacks from Afghan soil.

For its part, Pakistan has consistently demanded that the Afghan Taliban take concrete action against terror groups—particularly the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—which Islamabad accuses of using Afghan territory as a safe haven. Kabul, however, has repeatedly denied the presence of such groups, insisting it does not allow any militant organisation to operate against Pakistan.

The persistent tension has coincided with a surge in terrorist incidents inside Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where security forces have suffered multiple casualties during intelligence-based operations.

Diplomatic marathon in Doha and Istanbul

Efforts to defuse the crisis began in Doha, where an initial round of talks earlier this month led to a temporary ceasefire and a commitment from both sides to reconvene in Istanbul for follow-up discussions on a sustainable peace framework.

However, progress in Istanbul initially faltered. By Wednesday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced via X (formerly Twitter) that the talks had “failed to bring about any workable solution.”

Despite this setback, mediators from Türkiye and Qatar continued their shuttle diplomacy, encouraging both sides to make renewed efforts to bridge differences. Their persistence resulted in Thursday’s late-night session, where both delegations ultimately agreed to continue the ceasefire and to establish a mechanism to verify compliance and address violations.

Guarded optimism amid fragile peace

While the agreement offers a temporary respite from tensions, diplomats familiar with the negotiations cautioned that it represents only the beginning of a much longer process. “This is a ceasefire continuation, not a peace deal,” one diplomatic source said. “The hard part will be implementing and enforcing what’s been agreed in principle.”

Still, the resumption of structured dialogue—under the joint watch of Qatar and Türkiye—has been widely welcomed as a positive development. Analysts note that both mediating nations enjoy mutual trust from Islamabad and Kabul, making them uniquely positioned to facilitate sustained communication and confidence-building.

In Islamabad, officials described the outcome as a “modest but meaningful step” toward restoring normalcy. “There is space now for cautious optimism,” a senior government source said, echoing Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s earlier comments that a “ray of light” was visible in the otherwise strained relationship.