In a tentative step toward de-escalation, Afghanistan and Pakistan have pledged to prolong their ceasefire along the contentious Durand Line following intensive talks mediated by Türkiye and Qatar in Istanbul. The agreement, announced Thursday, caps a week of delicate negotiations that began on October 25 and underscore both nations’ wariness of reigniting border hostilities.
A joint communiqué from the delegations of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Türkiye, and Qatar confirmed the extension of the truce initially forged in Doha earlier this month. It outlined plans for senior representatives to regroup in Istanbul on November 6 to hammer out specifics on enforcement. Central to the deal is the establishment of a joint oversight body tasked with monitoring compliance and enforcing sanctions against breaches—a provision designed to build confidence and deter provocations.
Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate echoed the accord in its own release, with chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid affirming Kabul’s dedication to settling differences via peaceful channels and mutual comprehension. “We assembled a thorough and expert delegation and engaged in these discussions with full earnestness,” Mujahid stated, emphasizing the Taliban’s pursuit of cordial relations with Islamabad grounded in reciprocity, sovereignty, and restraint from meddling. He described the Istanbul sessions as a multifaceted endeavor that yielded a consensus to reconvene and tackle unresolved matters, while expressing appreciation to Türkiye and Qatar for facilitating the dialogue.
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These developments unfold against a tense backdrop of recent artillery exchanges and sharp accusations traded across the frontier. On the same day as the statement, Afghanistan’s Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani issued a stern caution to Pakistan, declaring that “any aggressive move against our territory would prove a grave error with steep repercussions for Islamabad,” even as he left the avenue for talks ajar.
At present, the tenuous armistice endures, offering a fleeting beacon of restraint in an area scarred by enduring animosity. As preparations advance for the next round in Istanbul, the pact’s longevity will depend on whether sustained negotiation can surmount generations of entrenched distrust dividing Afghanistan and Pakistan.
