After weeks of fighting and broken ceasefires, both Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire as per the external ministry of Qatar. The announcement came on Sunday, after several civilians had died in both Islamic countries.
A statement released by the ministry also states that the two sides will hold talks to establish a lasting peace and ways to protect it. Pakistani and Afghan delegations have reached Doha for peace talks, as the event is mediated by both Qatar and Turkey. Defence ministers of both countries have reached Doha, and Pakistani authorities confirmed that they would like to stop the conflict immediately and bring stability across the border.
The latest round of conflict is the worst in the past few years. Both countries have claimed that the other began the aggression, and they are trying to curtail it. Afghanistan has even denied the claims of hosting militants who were involved in the border terror. Middle East countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have stepped in to stop the conflict as the region is fragile, and groups like al-Qaeda are trying to gain more momentum in recent years.
Earlier, a 48-hour ceasefire was imposed, and as soon as it expired on Friday, Pakistani forces began firing across the border, destabilising the situation. Pakistani officers also informed The Associated Press about strikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. The officer, who has maintained anonymity, also confirmed that their targets were the hideouts of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group. Another official stated that the reason for the strikes was the suicide bombing of Pakistani security forces in Mir Ali, situated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Pakistani forces said that they have targeted armed fighters and no civilians died. However, as per Afghanistani sources, the attack killed not least 10 civilians which including children, women, and local cricketers. Taliban’s chief spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, criticised the Pakistani attack, calling it a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty. He further said that this was a deliberate attempt by the Pakistani forces to prolong the conflict.
The situation in the region is still fragile, while the ongoing peace talks in Qatar will decide the future course of peace action between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
