Pakistan-Afghanistan ceasefire extended until end of Doha talks

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to extend their 48-hour ceasefire until the conclusion of peace talks expected to begin on Saturday in Doha, Qatar, following days of border clashes.

The truce was first declared on 15 October after mediation by Qatar and Saudi Arabia helped both sides pause hostilities. According to Pakistani media citing a senior diplomatic source, the extension was made at Afghanistan’s request. However, Afghan broadcaster Tolo News, quoting unnamed sources in Qatar, reported that it was Pakistan that sought the continuation of the ceasefire. Neither government has issued an official confirmation, and the length of the Doha talks remains unclear.

The latest escalation began on 9 October, when Pakistan launched air operations near Kabul, which officials said targeted members of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Islamabad accuses the group of using Afghan territory to coordinate attacks in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.

Afghan forces reportedly responded with cross-border fire on 11 October, leading to several days of fierce fighting along the frontier, especially in the Spin Boldak–Chaman corridor. Islamabad maintains that its actions were defensive and aimed at neutralising militants staging attacks from across the border.

Pakistan continues to press the Taliban-led administration to take concrete and verifiable action against TTP fighters operating from Afghan soil. The group, designated as a terrorist organisation by Islamabad, is blamed for hundreds of deadly attacks inside Pakistan. Officials say their operations are meant to prevent further infiltration and protect border communities.

Islamabad also stresses that it has exercised restraint and remains committed to dialogue, arguing that long-term stability in Afghanistan directly supports Pakistan’s own security and regional trade goals.

Kabul, however, denies providing safe haven to the TTP or any other militant group, saying it is taking steps to maintain calm along the border. Still, the TTP continues to exploit the porous Pashtun tribal belt straddling the Durand Line — the colonial-era boundary between the two countries — using the mountainous terrain to evade detection.

Analysts view the extended ceasefire as a fragile but significant opportunity for both governments to rebuild trust and pursue lasting security arrangements through the upcoming Doha talks.

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