Pakistan and Afghanistan agree to ceasefire after Doha talks

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 11:39
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Pakistan and Afghanistan reach an immediate ceasefire in Doha after deadly border clashes, with follow-up talks set for October 25 in Istanbul.

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Photo of Afghanistan's Zabihullah Mujahid and Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif shaking hands following the signing of a ceasefire deal on October 18, 2025 (X/@KhawajaMAsif)

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following a week of intense border clashes that marked the worst escalation between the two since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.

The agreement was reached during peace talks in Doha on Saturday, October 18, attended by senior officials from both countries. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif confirmed the development on Sunday, stating on X that a ceasefire was "finalized" and that follow-up talks are scheduled for October 25 in Istanbul to address the details.

"A ceasefire agreement has been reached between Pakistan and Afghanistan," Asif's statement read. "Terrorism from Afghanistan on Pakistani soil will stop immediately. Both neighboring countries will respect each other's territory, Alhamdulillah ... We are deeply grateful to both the brotherly countries of Qatar and Turkey."

پاکستان اور افغانستان کے مابین سیز فائر کا معاہدہ طے پاگیا۔ پاکستان کی سرزمین پہ افغانستان سے دھشت گردی کا سلسلہ فی الفور بند ھوگا۔ دونوں ھمسایہ ملک ایک دوسرے کی سرزمین کا احترام کریں گے الحمدوللہ
25اکتوبر کو استنبول میں دوبارہ وفود میں ملاقات ھو گی۔ اور تفصیلی معاملات بات ھوگی۔… pic.twitter.com/OKNbRuXEPU
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) October 18, 2025

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid issued a similar statement, saying both parties had agreed to a "complete and meaningful ceasefire."

The Qatari Foreign Ministry, which co-hosted the talks alongside Turkey, said that future meetings would aim to ensure the sustainability and verification of the ceasefire “in a reliable and sustainable manner.”

Deadly clashes prompt diplomatic push

The ceasefire comes after days of fierce clashes and Pakistani airstrikes along the 2,600-kilometer border between the two countries. The violence erupted after Islamabad accused Kabul of harboring militants who had executed attacks inside Pakistan. One such attack, a suicide bombing near the border on Friday, killed seven Pakistani soldiers and wounded 13 others.

Pakistan's military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, publicly demanded that Afghanistan rein in militant groups allegedly using Afghan territory to launch attacks. “The Afghan regime must rein in the proxies who have sanctuaries in Afghanistan and are using Afghan soil to perpetrate heinous attacks inside Pakistan,” Munir stated on Saturday.

The Taliban has denied sheltering such groups and, in turn, accused Pakistan of disseminating false information and of providing refuge to Islamic State-linked militants to destabilize Afghanistan. Islamabad has rejected these claims.

Agreement reached in Doha

The Doha meeting, led by Asif and Taliban Defense Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob, resulted in a mutual agreement that neither side would engage in hostile actions or support groups acting against the other.

According to Mujahid, Afghanistan agreed not to retaliate for Pakistani airstrikes conducted during the ceasefire period, despite claiming that these strikes killed civilians in Paktika Province. “Afghan fighters were directed to refrain from retaliation to honor the negotiating efforts,” Mujahid said.

In a symbolic response to the airstrikes, Afghanistan withdrew from an upcoming Twenty20 cricket tri-series in Pakistan. The Afghanistan Cricket Board cited the deaths of three local cricketers in the strikes as the reason behind the decision.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar defended the airstrikes, stating that they targeted verified militant camps along the border and denied civilian casualties. He added that militants had attempted multiple attacks inside Pakistan during the ceasefire period and claimed that over 100 militants were killed in operations, primarily from the group responsible for Friday's suicide bombing.