Ceasefire With Afghanistan Hinges on Taliban’s Commitment – Pakistan’s Defence Minister
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the recently agreed cease-fire with Afghanistan rests on the condition that the Taliban government prevents militant attacks originating from Afghan territory.
Conditions of the Cease-fire
Asif said the agreement brokered in Doha by Qatar and Turkey will only hold if Afghanistan takes verifiable steps to stop groups such as the Tehreek‑e‑Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from attacking Pakistan. Any incursion from Afghan soil would be considered a violation of the truce.
Context of Border Tensions
The truce comes after escalating clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, which killed dozens of people and tied into long-standing complaints from Pakistan about militant safe havens across the frontier. Both sides agreed to refrain from targeting each other’s forces and from supporting armed groups.
What Comes Next
Monitoring mechanisms will now be critical. Pakistan has warned that continued militant activity from Afghan territory will jeopardise the cease-fire, raising the stakes for the Taliban’s response and commitment to upholding the agreement.
