Pakistan and Afghanistan delegations meet in Istanbul, agreeing to extend their ceasefire as Turkey and Qatar mediate peace talks[Image by Al Jazeera]
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said the two sides would meet again on November 6 for higher-level dialogue to finalize how the ceasefire will be implemented. In a meeting mediated jointly by Turkey and Qatar, peace efforts between the two neighbours are expected to be sealed.
A joint statement said, “All parties have agreed to create a monitoring and verification mechanism to maintain peace and penalize any violations.
The accord came after days of tense negotiations that almost collapsed earlier in the week. Still, Turkish and Qatari mediation helped revive the dialogue and averted renewed violence along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Border Tensions Ease After Weeks of Violence
Fighting broke out in early October following a series of explosions in Kabul that Afghanistan’s Taliban government blamed on Pakistani airstrikes in the Afghan capital and eastern provinces.
Afghan officials claimed to have killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in retaliation, while Islamabad reported 23 fatalities and said its operations targeted militant hideouts near the border.
The clash was the most serious fighting since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover. The two countries share a 2,600-kilometre (1,600-mile) frontier that has remained closed for over two weeks, with hundreds of trucks and traders stranded.
The Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that Kabul remains committed to resolving disputes through diplomacy.
“The Islamic Emirate wants strong relations with neighbouring countries based on mutual respect and non-interference, including Pakistan,” he said.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif told Geo News that Islamabad has agreed to continue talks “at the request of Turkey and Qatar” and decided to give peace another chance.
The army chief in Pakistan, Field Marshal Asim Munir, reaffirmed in Peshawar that his country sought peace with Afghanistan, but “will not tolerate cross-border terrorism.” He accused the Taliban of continuing to permit militants of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, to operate from Afghan soil, which Kabul denies.
The continuing closure has decidedly taken its toll on local economies.
In Kandahar, Afghan trader Nazir Ahmed said both nations were suffering. “Our nation is tired and their nation is also tired,” he told AFP.
Across the border, in Chaman, Pakistani trader Abdul Jabbar said, “Trade suffers greatly; both countries face losses, and both are Islamic nations.”
Security Operations Continue
Even as the talks are on, Pakistan’s military is conducting counter-terror operations: 18 militants were killed in Balochistan by troops on Thursday, while four TTP fighters – including a top commander – died during an infiltration bid in Bajaur.
The TTP later confirmed the death of its senior leader, Qari Amjad, who was listed as a terrorist by the United States. Representatives from both sides have said that they will return to Istanbul next week to finalize the monitoring mechanism and implementation plan for the ceasefire. Pakistani officials added that “most issues” had been “resolved peacefully,” but discussions on counter-terrorism cooperation “require more time.”
Mediators hope the next round of talks will pave the way for a long-term peace framework between Pakistan and Afghanistan, easing regional tensions that have fueled instability for decades.
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