Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that any resolution of the cross-border terrorism issue must begin with Afghanistan taking the first step. He made it clear that the ball is now in the Taliban government’s court. Sharif expressed hope that the Taliban would meet Pakistan’s key demands — especially taking strong action against the banned militant group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has been launching attacks from Afghan soil.
Briefing the cabinet, the Prime Minister revealed that after recent clashes, the Afghan side requested a temporary 48-hour ceasefire, which Pakistan accepted. However, he warned that if this request was merely a tactic to buy time, it would not be acceptable.
Doha Talks Expected Amid Rising Tensions
Efforts are underway to de-escalate tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan through talks expected to be held in Doha, Qatar. While no official confirmation has been made, diplomatic sources say that Qatar has invited high-level delegations from both countries for dialogue on Friday.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received a message from Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, regarding the regional situation. The timing of the message coincided with the ceasefire announcement, suggesting that Qatar is actively mediating between the two sides.
Saudi Arabia has also joined diplomatic efforts to ease tensions. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke to Ishaq Dar over the phone to discuss the ongoing situation.
According to diplomatic sources, a major obstacle in the negotiations has been internal consultations within the Taliban leadership. However, late-night reports from Kabul suggest that the Taliban’s supreme leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, has finally agreed to send Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob to represent the Taliban in Doha.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has called for a permanent end to hostilities and urged all parties to respect international law and ensure civilian protection.
