News Desk: Pakistan and Afghanistan have reached an immediate ceasefire agreement following a week of deadly border clashes, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced early Sunday. The breakthrough came during peace talks in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, marking the first major diplomatic effort to de-escalate tensions between the two neighbours since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
According to Qatar’s statement, both sides 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.”
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The Doha negotiations were attended by high-level delegations from both countries — Afghanistan’s Defence Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob led the Taliban side, while Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif represented Islamabad. Discussions centred on halting cross-border hostilities and addressing Pakistan’s concerns over militant attacks originating from Afghan territory.
Tensions erupted earlier this month after Pakistan accused the Taliban regime of sheltering militants responsible for recent assaults in its border regions. A suicide attack on Friday killed seven Pakistani soldiers and injured 13 others, further heightening hostilities.
While both nations have now agreed to the truce, Afghanistan alleged that Pakistan conducted airstrikes targeting civilians even after the ceasefire extension on Friday — a claim Islamabad has strongly denied, asserting that the strikes hit “verified militant camps.”
The unrest also spilled into the sporting arena, with Afghanistan withdrawing from a planned tri-nation T20 cricket series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka following the deaths of three Afghan cricketers in Paktika province.
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Despite lingering distrust, the Doha-mediated ceasefire is being viewed as a crucial step toward restoring stability and reducing violence along the volatile 2,600-km Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
