A Pakistani minister said a five-day pause, set to begin at midnight on Thursday, was requested by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a temporary pause in hostilities during this week’s Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, officials said, following weeks of deadly clashes between the two neighbouring countries.
Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan’s information minister, said on Wednesday that the ceasefire would run from midnight Thursday (19:00 GMT Wednesday) until midnight Tuesday (19:00 GMT Monday). He added that the pause was requested by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey.
“Pakistan offers this gesture in good faith and in line with Islamic values,” Tarar wrote on social media, while warning that military operations would resume immediately if any cross-border attacks, drone strikes, or terrorist incidents occur inside Pakistan.
Soon after, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Taliban government also confirmed a temporary suspension of military operations against Pakistan.
The truce comes just days after Afghanistan accused Pakistan of carrying out an airstrike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, an allegation strongly denied by Islamabad, which said it only targets militant infrastructure and military sites.
The United Nations reported 143 deaths in the incident, though the toll could not be independently verified.
The two countries have seen their worst fighting in years, with Afghanistan launching operations against Pakistani forces along the 2,640-km (1,640-mile) Durand Line in response to Pakistani airstrikes. Despite international calls for calm, cross-border clashes and strikes inside Afghanistan have continued.
The World Health Organization has warned that the ongoing conflict is straining healthcare systems and endangering vulnerable populations, urging all parties to de-escalate and prioritize peace.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the temporary truce as a positive step toward de-escalation, expressing hope that it could lead to a lasting ceasefire and improved stability in the region.
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