According to official sources, the decision was reached after communication between both sides aimed at easing the growing tensions along the frontier. The ceasefire, which began Wednesday evening, is expected to provide time for dialogue and to prevent further escalation.
The Foreign Office stated that both countries have shown willingness to engage in constructive talks during this ceasefire period to seek a lasting solution to the border dispute.
The FO said, “A temporary ceasefire has been decided between the Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban regime, with the mutual consent of both parties, for the next 48 hours from 6pm today, at the request of the Taliban. During this period, both sides will make sincere efforts to find a positive solution to this complex but solvable issue through constructive dialogue.”
Earlier, state broadcaster PTV News reported that the Pakistan armed forces conducted “precision strikes” in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and capital Kabul.
A statement uploaded on X, quoting security sources, said: “Pakistan Army’s retaliatory action against Afghan Taliban aggression, key hideouts destroyed. Key hideouts of Afghan Taliban successfully targeted by Pakistan Army.
Read more: Fierce clash at Pak-Afghan border — Pakistan Army destroys Taliban posts in Kurram
The statement said, “These precision strikes were carried out in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. As a result of these strikes, Afghan Taliban Battalion Number 4 and Border Brigade Number 6 completely destroyed. Dozens of foreign and Afghan operatives killed.”
It said the Pakistan Army possessed the “full capability to give a strong and complete response to any external aggression”.
According to a PTV report, strikes were conducted in Kabul as well.
PTI reported, “The centre and leadership of Fitna al-Hindustan were targeted in Kabul. The Pakistan Army possesses the full capability to give a befitting response to any aggression.”
The PTV report said that the Pakistan Army targeted Afghan Taliban Battalion Headquarters No 4, Battalion 8, and Border Brigade No 5 in Kandahar.
“All these targets were meticulously selected, isolated from civilian populations, and successfully destroyed,” the post read.
Meanwhile, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said security forces repulsed an attack by the Afghan Taliban along the Balochistan border, killing around 15 to 20 of their members.
The ISPR said that Afghan Taliban “resorted to cowardly attack[s] at four locations in [the] Spin Boldak area” in the early hours of Wednesday. “The attack was effectively repulsed by Pakistani forces,” the statement said.
According to the ISPR, 23 Pakistani troops were martyred and 29 injured in the incident that began with Afghan Taliban attacking posts across the border. The military’s media affairs wing also said that credible intelligence estimates and damage assessment showed that “more than 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists have been neutralised, while the number of injured is much higher”.
Islamabad has repeatedly called on Kabul to bar terrorist groups from using its territory to attack Pakistan, however, Afghanistan denies the allegations and claims Afghan soil is not used for attacks on neighbouring countries.
