Pakistan has resumed military operations against Afghanistan after a brief Eid ceasefire, officials said on Thursday, dampening hopes of a lasting truce following the worst cross-border fighting in years.
Violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated last month, with heavy casualties reported on both sides. Afghan authorities said more than 400 people were killed in a Pakistani air strike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul last week, before hostilities were paused.
Pakistan rejected the Taliban’s account, saying it had “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure”.
The ceasefire coincided with the Islamic festival of Eid al-Fitr and, according to Islamabad, was requested by Türkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
“The pause concluded at midnight between March 23 and 24,” foreign ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said at a weekly briefing. He added that operations would continue until objectives were met and urged the Afghan Taliban administration to reconsider what he described as its “misplaced priority” of supporting militant networks.
Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of harbouring Islamist militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul denies the allegation, saying militancy is a domestic issue for Pakistan.
Trade at key border crossings has been suspended since Pakistan launched air strikes in October.
The Torkham crossing in north-west Pakistan reopened temporarily on Thursday, allowing hundreds of Afghan refugees to return home, officials said.
Pakistan hosts more than two million Afghan refugees who have fled decades of conflict. Authorities are pressing undocumented Afghans to leave, citing links to militancy and crime.
The repatriation effort forms part of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan launched in late 2023. The United Nations has criticised the policy, warning that forced returns may breach international obligations.
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