Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire after a week of heavy border clashes that caused dozens of deaths and injuries. The agreement was made during talks in Doha, Qatar, and announced on Sunday. This was the worst fighting between the two countries since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Agreement Announced
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif confirmed the news on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saying, “The ceasefire has been finalised.” He also said both sides will meet again on October 25 in Istanbul, Turkey, to discuss more details and make sure the truce continues.
The Pakistani team at the Doha talks was led by Khawaja Asif and included senior government and security officials. The Afghan team was led by Mullah Yaqoob, the Acting Defence Minister of the Taliban government, along with other representatives.
Key Issues Discussed
During the talks, Pakistan raised serious concerns about terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory. Officials pointed specifically to groups like the Gul Bahadur faction and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistan believes these groups have been behind many recent deadly attacks inside Pakistan.
According to sources familiar with the talks, Pakistan presented a single main demand: that the Afghan government must act against terrorist networks and destroy their hideouts. “Pakistan has made it clear that these groups cannot continue to operate from Afghan soil,” the sources said.
The Taliban’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said both countries agreed to a “complete and meaningful ceasefire.” Qatar’s foreign ministry, which helped mediate the talks along with Turkey, said follow-up meetings will focus on ensuring the ceasefire is fully respected and monitored.
The Background of the Clashes
The violence between the two neighbours began a week earlier, along the 2,600-kilometre-long border that separates them. This border, also known as the Durand Line, has been disputed for many years.
Fighting broke out after Pakistan accused the Afghan government of failing to control militants who have been attacking Pakistan from across the border. In response, Pakistan carried out air strikes on what it said were militant hideouts inside Afghanistan.
The Taliban, however, denied these accusations. They said they were not giving shelter to militants and claimed Pakistan was spreading false information. The Taliban also accused Pakistan of allowing Islamic State (IS)-linked militants to hide inside Pakistan, which Islamabad strongly denied.
Casualties and Escalation
The clashes led to dozens of deaths and many more injuries on both sides. On Friday, a suicide bombing near the border killed seven Pakistani soldiers and injured 13 others, according to security officials.
The situation worsened when Afghan forces opened unprovoked fire at several locations along the border, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, and Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Baramcha in Balochistan. Pakistani security sources said the firing was meant to help members of TTP (also called Khwarij) cross into Pakistan illegally.
Pakistan’s army quickly responded with a powerful counterattack, destroying several Afghan border posts. Security officials said that dozens of Afghan soldiers and militants were killed in the retaliatory strikes.
Pakistan’s Position
Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, also spoke strongly about the issue. During a speech at a military graduation ceremony on Saturday, he said:
“The Afghan regime must stop the groups who have sanctuaries in Afghanistan and are using Afghan soil to carry out deadly attacks inside Pakistan.”
Pakistan has suffered from terrorist violence for many years, much of it linked to groups like TTP. These militants want to overthrow the government in Pakistan and impose their own strict version of Islamic law.
Taliban’s Position
The Taliban government, on the other hand, insists it is not supporting these groups. After the Doha talks, spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said:
“It was decided that neither country will take hostile actions against the other, and support will not be provided to any groups working against Pakistan.”
Next Steps: Talks in Istanbul
To keep the peace, both countries will meet again on October 25 in Istanbul. There, they will work on the technical details of the ceasefire, including how to monitor the border, how to share intelligence, and how to prevent new clashes.
Qatar and Turkey, who played a mediating role in Doha, will likely continue to help both countries maintain dialogue. Both Islamabad and Kabul say they want a long-term solution, but deep mistrust remains between the two governments.
A Fragile Peace
This new ceasefire brings a temporary calm to a dangerous situation, but experts warn that it could easily fall apart if militant attacks continue. Both sides will need to cooperate closely to make the ceasefire successful and avoid more bloodshed along their shared border.
For Pakistan, the main demand is action against TTP and other groups. For the Taliban, the focus is on protecting their sovereignty and avoiding accusations. Whether this fragile peace holds will depend on how serious both sides are about ending the violence.