Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an “immediate ceasefire,” brokered by mediators Qatar and Turkey, following a dangerous resumption of cross-border violence that killed at least ten people on Saturday, the Qatari Foreign Ministry confirmed.
The agreement comes after a brief 48-hour truce collapsed, leading to fresh Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory that resulted in civilian casualties, including three young Afghan cricketers.
Deadly Breakdown of Truce
The latest flare-up occurred on Saturday, with reports indicating that Pakistani forces conducted airstrikes near the border areas, particularly in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. Pakistani security officials stated the strikes were aimed at targeting the Pakistani faction of the Taliban, the TTP, allegedly in response to an earlier assault on Pakistani paramilitary forces near the Durand Line.
However, the air raids reportedly claimed civilian lives. A provincial hospital official confirmed that at least 10 people were killed and 12 wounded, including two children. Among the dead were three aspiring Afghan cricketers—Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon—who were in the region for a tournament. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) both issued strong statements of mourning and condemnation, with the ACB withdrawing from an upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series in protest.
Blame Game Amid Diplomacy
The fresh violence erupted despite the two nations having met in Doha for negotiations following a previous 48-hour truce. Both sides quickly blamed the other for breaking the fragile calm.
Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the ‘Prime Minister’ in the Taliban government, stated in a call with his Malaysian counterpart that Afghanistan is “not in favour of war,” but that the fresh strikes were “initiated by the Pakistani side by violating Afghanistan’s territory.” Similarly, a Taliban official reiterated that Pakistan broke the ceasefire by bombing three locations in Paktika.
Terms of the New Agreement
The diplomatic efforts led by Qatar and Turkey eventually resulted in a new, hopefully lasting, agreement. The Qatari Foreign Affairs Ministry’s official statement announced that during the negotiations, both sides agreed to an “immediate ceasefire” and the establishment of mechanisms to “consolidate lasting peace and stability.”
Crucially, both nations have also committed to follow-up meetings in the coming days. The goal of these sessions will be “to ensure sustainability of the ceasefire and verify its implementation in a reliable and sustainable manner, thus contributing to achieving security and stability in both countries.” The immediate challenge for both Islamabad and Kabul will be to de-escalate on the ground and adhere to the newly brokered peace to prevent further civilian casualties.