Afghanistan and Pakistan will engage in peace talks in Doha on Saturday after both countries agreed to extend a ceasefire following a week of violent border clashes. They extended their initial 48-hour truce to facilitate negotiations aimed at addressing the recent violence, which resulted in numerous casualties since the Taliban took control in Kabul in 2021. Afghan Defence Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob is leading the Afghan team, while Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif will head their discussions.
The main focus of the talks will be on steps to stop cross-border terrorism against Pakistan that is believed to stem from Afghanistan, as well as to restore peace along their shared border. Tensions escalated after Pakistan urged Afghanistan to control militants launching attacks from its territory. The Taliban, however, denies hosting these militants and claims Pakistan spreads false information to provoke border tensions.
Militant violence in Pakistan has negatively affected relations with the Afghan Taliban, with a recent suicide attack near the Afghan border resulting in several Pakistani military deaths. Pakistan’s foreign office expressed that they do not want to escalate the situation and are asking the Afghan authorities to address their security concerns. Additionally, there were claims that Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan, leading to casualties, and the Afghan Cricket Board announced the national team would skip a planned tournament in Pakistan.
With information from Reuters
