After weeks of escalating violence along their shared 2,600-km frontier, neighbouring countries Pakistan and Afghanistan have reached a landmark agreement for an immediate ceasefire, following high-level peace talks held in Doha under the mediation of Qatar and Turkey.
Delegations led by Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Afghanistan’s Defence Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob met in the Qatari capital on Saturday to arrest what had become the worst round of hostilities between the two nations since the Taliban took power in Kabul in 2021.
Under the agreement, both sides pledged to refrain from taking hostile actions, including cross-border strikes, or supporting militant groups that target the other’s territory. They also committed to establishing a monitoring mechanism and holding follow-up meetings to ensure compliance.
The truce comes in the wake of deadly clashes and air-strikes that have caused dozens of fatalities and hundreds of injuries. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of harbouring insurgents who launch attacks into its territory; Kabul denies the allegations, saying it has not given safe-haven to militant groups.
While the deal has been welcomed in Islamabad and Kabul alike with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar calling it “a first step in the right direction” analysts caution that the core issues underpinning the violence remain unresolved and a lasting peace depends on sustained will on both sides.
A next round of talks is scheduled to take place in Istanbul on October 25 to flesh out the details of implementation and monitoring.
