Days after deadlock, Pak and Afghanistan ‘agree’ on maintaining ceasefire, talks resume next week

In a joint statement on talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Turkey said that the negotiations took place from October 25-30, through mediation from Turkey and Qatar.

“All parties have agreed on continuation of ceasefire,” the statement read, adding that further talks on implementation of the agreement would take place at another meeting next week, November 6.

“All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and imposing penalty on the violating party,” the statement read.

The development comes days after the previous round of talks, aimed at easing border tensions between the two sides, failed. Islamabad’s primary demand is that Afghanistan prohibit the use of its territory to support “terrorism” against Pakistan.

Tensions flared earlier this month after explosions were heard in Kabul and Afghanistan’s Taliban government accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes in the capital. The development coincided with Taliban Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India.

Days later, the Taliban said they had “retaliated” by targeting Pakistani military posts, and claimed that it killed 58 of Pak soldiers. However, Pakistan confirmed the deaths of only 23 soldiers.

After fierce border clashes, both sides had agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire, but tensions flared up again as Pakistani forces carried out airstrikes on Afghan territory, killing at least 10 people, three local Afghan cricketers among them.

Emergency talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan, called by Qatar and Turkey, also reached an impasse this week.

Pakistan has seen a rise in militant attacks in recent months, most of which have been claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, a group closely linked to the Afghan Taliban.