Pakistan has announced a temporary pause in its ongoing military operation against the Afghan Taliban in Afghanistan, citing the upcoming festival of Eid-ul-Fitr and appeals from allied Islamic nations.
The announcement was made by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who said the decision reflects both goodwill and respect for Islamic traditions.
Pause Follows Requests From Key Allies
According to Tarar, the pause comes after requests from:
- Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
- Turkiye
“In view of Eid-ul-Fitr… the government of Pakistan has decided to announce a temporary pause,” he said in a post on X.
The ceasefire window will remain in effect from midnight March 18/19 to midnight March 23/24.
Background: Operation ‘Ghazab lil-Haq’
Pakistan has been conducting airstrikes in Afghanistan under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, launched after what it described as unprovoked cross-border firing by the Afghan Taliban.
The hostilities escalated in late February, adding another flashpoint in an already volatile region.
Warning: Operations May Resume Immediately
While announcing the pause, Pakistan made it clear that the ceasefire is conditional.
“In case of any cross-border attack, drone strike or terrorist incident… the operation shall immediately resume with renewed intensity,” Tarar warned.
Afghanistan Alleges Civilian Casualties
The Afghan side has accused Pakistan of carrying out a deadly airstrike in Kabul, including an attack on a drug rehabilitation centre that reportedly killed over 400 people.
These claims have been reported by Al Jazeera.
Pakistan Rejects Allegations
Islamabad has strongly denied targeting civilians.
“Pakistan has only targeted terrorist infrastructure and military locations,” Tarar said, rejecting the allegations as baseless.
Conclusion
The temporary pause offers a brief window of de-escalation during Eid, but tensions remain high. With both sides trading accusations and warnings, the situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border continues to be fragile and unpredictable.