ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following high-level peace talks in Doha, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced early Sunday.
The agreement comes after a week of fierce border clashes that raised tensions between the two neighbors. In a statement, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the ceasefire was reached during a round of negotiations mediated by Qatar and Türkiye on Saturday.
“Both sides also agreed to hold follow-up meetings in the coming days to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire and verify its implementation in a reliable and sustainable manner,” the ministry said.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif confirmed the development in a post on X, formerly Twitter, saying a formal ceasefire agreement had been reached between the two countries.
“Terrorist activities originating from Afghan soil on Pakistani territory will stop immediately. Both neighboring countries will respect each other’s sovereignty,” Asif said.
He added that delegations from both sides will meet again on October 25 in Istanbul for further discussions aimed at consolidating the agreement.
“We are deeply grateful to our brotherly nations, Qatar and Türkiye, for their sincere support,” Asif said.
The breakthrough comes amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where recent clashes have resulted in casualties and strained diplomatic relations.
Officials in both capitals have expressed hope that the ceasefire will pave the way for broader security cooperation and a mechanism to prevent future border escalations.
Zabihullah welcomes ceasefire agreement
The Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, gave a positive response to the outcome of the talks that took place in the Qatari capital, Doha, a day earlier, AP reported.
He said both countries had signed a bilateral agreement.
“It has been decided that neither country will undertake any hostile actions against the other, nor will they support groups carrying out attacks against Pakistan. Both sides will refrain from targeting each other’s security forces, civilians, or critical infrastructure.”
A mechanism would be established in the future, “under the mediation of intermediary countries,” to review bilateral claims and ensure the effective implementation of this agreement.
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