Pakistan agrees to continue conditional ceasefire with Afghanistan

Pakistan has agreed to continue a ceasefire with Afghanistan as long as Afghan soil is not used for infiltration by terrorists, while a principal-level meeting is set for 6 November 2025, Azernews reports DND News Agency.

According to the Joint Statement on the Talks Between Afghanistan and Pakistan Through the Mediation of Türkiye and Qatar, modalities of implementation will be discussed and decided at a principal-level meeting in Istanbul on 6 November 2025.

The Joint Statement says:

Afghanistan, Pakistan, Türkiye and Qatar held meetings in Istanbul from 25–30 October 2025 aimed at solidifying the ceasefire agreed by Afghanistan and Pakistan in Doha on 18–19 October 2025, with the mediation of Türkiye and Qatar.

All parties have agreed to continue the ceasefire.

Further modalities of implementation will be discussed and decided at the principal-level meeting in Istanbul on 6 November 2025.

All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and impose penalties on any violating party.

As mediators, Türkiye and Qatar express their appreciation for the active contribution of both parties and stand ready to continue cooperating with both sides for lasting peace and stability.

The Joint Declaration in Türkiye is a welcome development, and Afghanistan is now expected to deliver on its commitments with Türkiye and Qatar.

An official from the Foreign Office in Islamabad, directly dealing with the situation, told DND News Agency that Pakistan welcomes the interim understanding reached in Istanbul under the mediation of Türkiye and Qatar. He said Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to peace and stability on its western border but equally stresses that this ceasefire is neither open-ended nor unconditional.

According to understandings gathered by DND from Foreign Office sources, the single litmus test for continuation of the ceasefire is that Afghanistan will not allow its territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan. Afghanistan must take clear, verifiable and effective steps against Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant entities. Pakistan expects credible evidence of action, including dismantling militant hideouts, disrupting logistical channels, arresting or prosecuting leadership, and transparent reporting through the agreed monitoring and verification mechanism.

“If Afghanistan fails to deliver verifiable proof of agreed steps, or if militants continue to launch attacks from Afghan soil, Pakistan will deem the ceasefire violated and reserve all options to safeguard its sovereignty and citizens. The monitoring and verification mechanism established under the mediators’ auspices will serve as the impartial and essential instrument to determine Afghanistan’s compliance. Pakistan enters this phase in good faith, but also with realism: past patterns of border violence demonstrate the need for sustained implementation, not only formal commitments,” commented a senior Foreign Office official to DND News Agency.

Available information confirms that Pakistan will keep all its forces on alert and expects that Afghanistan understands this arrangement is a conditional truce — one that hinges on demonstrable responsibility by the Afghan side. Failure to meet that responsibility will require Pakistan to revert to other measures. The Government of Pakistan and the Armed Forces remain united in the message: “Peace is our preference; protection of Pakistan’s territorial integrity is non-negotiable.”

A retired Federal Secretary when asked to comment over the Joint Statement that avoided using words such as ‘interim’ or ‘conditional’ while providing sense that the arrangements are at least interim if not conditional, he commented:

“It appears that both Pakistan and the Taliban have been advised to exercise restraint for the time being. One can infer that new proposals or confidence-building measures may have been floated to both parties for consideration. It must be acknowledged, however, that Turkiye and Qatar hold considerable influence with both Islamabad and the Taliban leadership. Both countries have maintained close diplomatic and economic ties with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers, while also enjoying cordial relations with Pakistan. Given their strategic interests in regional stability, it is likely that Ankara and Doha are working behind the scenes to ensure that tensions do not escalate into open confrontation. For Turkiye and Qatar, maintaining the current status quo, however fragile, serves several purposes: it preserves their diplomatic leverage, sustains humanitarian engagement in Afghanistan, and prevents further destabilization along Pakistan’s western frontier. A slide into kinetic operations would not only threaten regional security but could also undermine their broader diplomatic and developmental investments in the region. In essence, the involvement of these two actors provides a moderating influence at a time when prudence and dialogue are of paramount importance”.