Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban extended a fragile ceasefire, offering a fleeting chance for diplomacy amid escalating border tensions and fragile regional mistrust.
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime agreed to extend their temporary ceasefire, signaling a cautious effort to prevent further escalation along the volatile border as diplomatic talks in Doha continued. The truce, initially declared for 48 hours at the Taliban’s request, had expired at 6pm on Friday, but both sides decided to maintain restraint until the completion of peace discussions in Qatar.
According to reports from a British news agency, the ceasefire extension was part of a broader attempt to stabilize the situation while political and security officials sought to establish a framework for dialogue. The report claimed that a Pakistani delegation had already arrived in Doha, while the Afghan side was expected to reach the city on Saturday. However, security sources in Islamabad dismissed those claims as inaccurate, clarifying that the Pakistani delegation was still in the country and scheduled to depart for Doha early Saturday morning.
The Foreign Office confirmed that both delegations would engage in comprehensive discussions aimed at preventing further clashes and rebuilding a minimum level of trust between the two neighboring nations. The renewed truce followed several days of heightened tension and cross-border exchanges between 11 and 15 October, which had left the frontier area on edge and prompted urgent diplomatic efforts.
Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Pakistan had consistently raised the issue of militant sanctuaries and cross-border aggression with Kabul, warning that such incidents undermined peace and regional stability. He said Islamabad had provided repeated evidence of the presence of Fitna al-Khawarij—a term Pakistan uses for terrorist factions operating inside Afghanistan—and had lodged strong protests over Taliban provocations during the past week.
Khan told reporters that Pakistan’s forces had acted strictly in self-defence after being attacked from across the border and had successfully repelled multiple assaults. “Our operations were not aimed at civilians but against terrorist elements who continue to threaten Pakistan’s security,” he said.
He described the talks in Doha as “constructive and forward-looking”, expressing hope that both sides would use the opportunity to address long-standing security grievances through diplomacy rather than conflict.
The ceasefire extension, though fragile, was seen as a temporary reprieve in what has become one of the region’s most sensitive flashpoints. Analysts said the outcome of the Doha discussions could shape the future of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, determining whether the two neighbors move towards cooperation or slip back into confrontation.
