ALBAWABA- Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to extend their fragile ceasefire and establish a joint monitoring mechanism following six days of talks in Istanbul hosted by Turkey and Qatar, marking a cautious step toward easing tensions along one of South Asia’s most volatile borders.
A joint statement from Turkey’s Foreign Ministry confirmed both sides’ commitment to uphold the truce first brokered in Doha earlier this month, with plans for a high-level summit on November 6 to finalize implementation details.
The agreement followed days of heated exchanges after a deadly border blast in Pakistan’s Kurram district killed five soldiers and wounded 14, an attack claimed by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants allegedly operating from Afghan territory. The incident reignited accusations between Kabul and Islamabad and threatened to unravel the nascent ceasefire.
Kabul’s deputy foreign minister, Sher Ahmad Muslim Ghafari, described the Istanbul outcome as proof of “mutual goodwill,” while Islamabad emphasized its commitment to the truce provided cross-border attacks cease. Mediators Turkey and Qatar hailed the talks as a “vital interim step” toward regional stability.
The breakthrough comes amid long-standing mistrust rooted in the disputed 2,640-kilometer Durand Line. Since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of harboring TTP fighters, with attacks inside Pakistan surging 300% this year.
