Pakistan and Afghanistan: Will negotiations cool the flames at the border?
The truce has ended and tensions have reignited between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as attention turns to Doha, where talks aimed at restoring peace are set to take place.
On Saturday, the Taliban government in Afghanistan confirmed that it would participate in discussions with Pakistan in Qatar, a day after the collapse of a fragile truce that had briefly brought calm to the border between the two countries.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced on X: “A high-level delegation led by Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqub has left Kabul for Doha today (Saturday).” He added: “As promised, negotiations with the Pakistani side will be held today in Doha.”
Earlier, Pakistan’s state television, PTV, reported that a Pakistani delegation led by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and intelligence chief Lieutenant General Asim Malik would also travel to Doha for talks with the Afghan Taliban.
Border flames
On Friday evening, Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Afghan territory, killing at least ten civilians, just hours after a 48-hour truce between the two neighbors came to an end.
The two sides had reached a ceasefire on Wednesday after days of deadly clashes, only for tensions to resume on Friday.
Pakistan had said the truce would last 48 hours, while Afghanistan stated that its continuation depended on mutual respect of the ceasefire terms.
However, Pakistani security sources reported Friday night that Islamabad conducted “precision airstrikes” on Afghan soil against a “terrorist group” allegedly responsible for an earlier attack that day.
A Taliban official, speaking anonymously to Agence France-Presse, accused Pakistan of “violating the ceasefire by bombing three areas of Paktika,” adding, “Afghanistan will respond.”
A regional hospital official in Paktika told AFP, also on condition of anonymity, that “ten civilians were killed and twelve others injured in an airstrike on the Argun district,” including two children among the dead.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated, “Let’s wait for the 48 hours to pass and see whether the ceasefire holds,” while also highlighting “efforts through diplomatic channels to make it permanent.”
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Thursday that “the ball is now in the Afghan Taliban government’s court” to turn the truce into a lasting peace, reiterating his condemnation of “terrorists operating from Afghan soil with impunity.”
During a press conference, Shafqat Ali Khan added, “Pakistan expects concrete action from the Taliban administration against these terrorist elements.”
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Afghanistan’s Ariana TV on Friday evening, “We told our soldiers not to attack unless Pakistani forces do so first. If they do, our forces have every right to defend their country.” He added, “Negotiations can solve these problems,” without giving further details.
A defensive response
The clashes began last week after explosions in the Afghan capital, which the Taliban authorities blamed on Islamabad.
In retaliation, Taliban forces launched an offensive near the border, prompting Pakistan to vow a strong response.
The fighting left dozens dead, including both militants and civilians.
“Our defensive response did not target civilians,” said Shafqat Ali Khan. “We exercise great caution to avoid civilian casualties, unlike Taliban forces.”
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported 37 civilians killed and 425 injured on the Afghan side of the border over the past few days, urging both parties to end hostilities “permanently.”
