Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following a week of intense cross-border clashes, after high-level negotiations hosted in Doha and mediated by Qatar and Turkiye, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced early Sunday.
The breakthrough comes after days of deadly fighting along the disputed 2,600-kilometre frontier that left dozens dead and hundreds injured. This marks the most serious escalation between the two South Asian neighbours since the Taliban took power in Kabul in 2021.
Key Points of the Pak-Afghan Doha Truce:
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Immediate Ceasefire: Both nations agreed to halt all hostilities effective immediately.
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Mediated Agreement: The truce was reached through negotiations facilitated by Qatar and Turkiye in Doha on Saturday.
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Follow-Up Mechanisms: Both sides committed to holding future meetings to ensure the ceasefire’s sustainability and to establish mechanisms for verifying its implementation in a “reliable and sustainable manner.”
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Focus on Counterterrorism: Discussions focused on curbing cross-border terrorism, particularly militant activity originating from Afghan territory, which Islamabad claims has escalated attacks inside Pakistan.
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Leadership-Level Talks: Afghanistan was represented by Defence Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob, while Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif led the Pakistani delegation.
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Accusations and Denials: Pakistan accuses Kabul of harbouring militant groups targeting Pakistani forces, while the Taliban denies the charges and counter-accuses Islamabad of spreading disinformation and supporting ISIL-linked militants to destabilize Afghanistan.
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Recent Escalation: The truce follows a deadly suicide bombing on Friday near the border that killed seven Pakistani soldiers and wounded 13 others. Pakistan claims it has since targeted “verified” militant camps in cross-border strikes.
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Civilian Casualties and Afghan Response: Kabul has accused Pakistan of targeting civilians in recent airstrikes, including one that allegedly killed three local cricketers. In protest, Afghanistan has withdrawn from a scheduled Twenty20 cricket series in Pakistan.
