Doha (Rajeev Sharma): After days of escalating violence and rising casualties, Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and pledged to develop a joint plan for long-term peace, officials confirmed on Sunday.
The agreement came during emergency diplomatic talks held in Doha, where Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif met with Afghanistan’s Acting Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob. The discussions were facilitated by Qatar and supported by Turkiye in response to the deteriorating situation along the border.
According to a statement from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, both nations consented to an urgent cessation of hostilities and the establishment of a structured process to prevent future flare-ups. “Both sides committed to a ceasefire and to working on a framework for enduring peace and stability,” the statement read.
Over the past week, border regions between the two countries have been rocked by deadly confrontations, leaving dozens dead and hundreds more injured. The unrest followed reports of Pakistani airstrikes near Kabul that allegedly targeted TTP (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan) hideouts but resulted in civilian deaths, including three Afghan cricketers — a move that drew sharp criticism from Kabul.
The situation further deteriorated after the TTP claimed responsibility for an attack on a Pakistani military post in North Waziristan, prompting Islamabad to demand the Afghan Taliban take decisive and transparent action against the group.
“Pakistan underlined its expectation that Afghan authorities will address cross-border threats and uphold commitments made to the international community,” said a statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
Though a 48-hour truce was briefly implemented earlier in the week and later extended, fresh Pakistani airstrikes on Friday night reignited tensions. The strikes, launched hours after the ceasefire extension, reportedly targeted suspected militant positions but added to civilian casualties and political fallout.
In a symbolic act of protest, the Afghanistan Cricket Board withdrew from a planned T20 triangular tournament involving Pakistan, originally scheduled for late November.
Relations between the two nations have been fragile for years, but recent attacks — including one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Orakzai district that killed 11 Pakistani soldiers — have significantly strained diplomatic ties.
Despite the complex backdrop, both Islamabad and Kabul expressed a willingness to continue dialogue in the coming days. The focus will be on solidifying the ceasefire and establishing verification mechanisms to ensure compliance from both sides.
Observers say the breakthrough in Doha is a positive first step, but emphasize that genuine cooperation and trust-building will be crucial to avoid future conflict and restore regional stability.
