Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire in talks mediated by Qatar and Turkiye following a week of fierce and deadly clashes along their disputed border.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs early on Sunday said the two South Asian nations agreed to the ceasefire “and the establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries”.

Doha said the two countries also agreed to hold follow-up meetings in the coming days “to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire and verify its implementation in a reliable and sustainable manner”.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar welcomed the deal, calling it a “first step in the right direction”.

“Deeply appreciate the constructive role played by brotherly Qatar and Turkiye,” he said in a post on X.

“We look forward to the establishment of a concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism, in the next meeting to be hosted by Turkiye, to address the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil towards Pakistan,” he added.

“It is important to put all efforts in place to prevent any further loss of lives.”

Earlier, both sides said they were holding peace talks in Doha on Saturday as they sought a way forward, after clashes killed dozens and wounded hundreds in the worst violence between the two South Asian neighbours since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021.

News Credit: AL Jazeera 

---

Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content. 

Instagram - @qatarliving

X - @qatarliving

Facebook - Qatar Living

YouTube - qatarlivingofficial