(Image source from: AFP)
Pakistan and Afghanistan reached an agreement for a 48-hour ceasefire on Wednesday evening following a day of violence that resulted in numerous deaths and many injuries along their border. This ceasefire began at 6 pm PKT or 6:30 pm IST. Islamabad stated as reported by Reuters that both nations will strive to engage in discussions to seek a constructive resolution to this complicated but solvable issue.
According to Pakistan, Afghanistan requested the ceasefire. Afghanistan has not yet responded regarding the ceasefire or Pakistan's claim about who initiated the call for a break in hostilities. Earlier on the same day, Pakistan reported that it had killed many Afghan security personnel and militants during nighttime military operations, highlighting the severe violence between the two countries in recent times.
Pakistan also claimed it had taken out tanks and military posts while defending against what it described as unprovoked attacks. Nevertheless, it strongly rejected the idea that it targeted civilians after the Taliban reported that around a dozen individuals were killed and over 100 were injured in a strike on a border region in Afghanistan's Kandahar. The Taliban's main spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, stated that a Pakistani Army border outpost was destroyed and an enemy tank was seized in response. Pakistan blames Afghanistan for harboring attackers who conduct acts of terrorism on its soil. It asserts that such attacks have intensified since 2021 when the Taliban assumed control. Afghanistan, however, disputes these claims. The country has maintained, as its Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi conveyed to India last week during a State visit, that the Taliban will prevent its territory from being used to launch attacks on other nations. The clashes on Wednesday were the second of the week, raising concerns about a broader conflict in a region where terrorist groups like the Islamic State and organizations such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, which target India, are aiming to gain influence and revive their activities.
The fighting had temporarily ceased on Sunday after calls for peace from Saudi Arabia and Qatar. This most recent outbreak of violence, the worst seen in recent years, coincided with the visit of Taliban Foreign Minister Muttaqi to India, which Pakistan perceives as Delhi making efforts to improve relations with Kabul. India has also reinstated full diplomatic connections with Afghanistan and plans to elevate its Technical Mission in Kabul to an Embassy, according to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar last week. For a long time, Islamabad has accused Kabul of sheltering terrorists, especially the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan—a claim that Afghanistan denies.
