Pakistan and Afghanistan reached an agreement early Friday to continue their ceasefire, following weeks of mounting tension, border clashes, and diplomatic strain between the two neighbours.
Talks between delegations from Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban began last Saturday in Istanbul. However, Islamabad’s long-standing concern over cross-border terrorist attacks originating from Afghan territory dominated discussions, leading to a stalemate for several days. It was only after persistent efforts by mediators, Turkiye and Qatar, that both sides returned to the negotiating table on Thursday.
A joint statement released after the talks confirmed that the ceasefire would remain in effect, with further discussions on its implementation scheduled for a principal-level meeting in Istanbul on November 6.
As part of the agreement, both sides also decided to establish a “monitoring and verification mechanism” to ensure the ceasefire holds and to penalize any party that violates it.
đź“– Read Also: Pakistan–Afghanistan 2025 Border Conflict: Deadly Clashes Expose Deepening Regional Rift“All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and impose penalties on the violating side,”
read the joint statement issued by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The statement added that Turkiye and Qatar, acting as mediators, appreciated the “active contribution of both parties” and reaffirmed their commitment to support Pakistan and Afghanistan in achieving lasting peace and stability.
Both mediating countries enjoy close ties with Islamabad, while Qatar has previously played a central role in facilitating talks between the Afghan Taliban and NATO forces.
Border Skirmishes and the Road to Dialogue
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated sharply in recent weeks. The latest flare-up began on October 11, when an attack from across the Afghan border targeted Pakistan. This came shortly after the Afghan Taliban accused Islamabad of carrying out airstrikes on Afghan soil — an allegation Pakistan has neither confirmed nor denied.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks on Pakistan. The Taliban, however, continue to reject such claims, insisting they are not providing sanctuary to any terrorist organization.
Pakistan, meanwhile, continues to face deadly attacks within its borders and has suffered heavy losses among its security forces during intelligence-based operations against militants.
Following the initial October 11 skirmish, several more clashes erupted along the border. In response, Pakistan reportedly targeted Gul Bahadur group camps in Afghanistan.
To defuse tensions, both countries met in Doha for the first round of talks mediated by Turkiye and Qatar. Those discussions produced a temporary ceasefire and a mutual commitment to meet again in Istanbul to work toward a more permanent peace mechanism.
The second round of these peace talks took place last week in Istanbul. However, by Wednesday, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on social media that the latest round had “failed to produce any workable solution.”
Tarar reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue to take “all possible measures to protect its citizens from terrorism,” emphasizing that Islamabad’s top priority remains national security and the safety of its people.