AFTER more than a week of fighting Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said today.

The deadliest crisis between the two countries in many years has killed dozens and injured hundreds.

The Qataris said both sides had agreed to establish mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability. They will also hold follow-up talks to ensure the sustainability of the truce, which was mediated by Qatar and Turkey.

Violence escalated between the neighbours earlier this month, with each country saying they were responding to aggression from the other. Afghanistan denies harbouring militants who carry out attacks in border areas.

The Taliban government’s chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid gave a positive response to the outcome of the talks, which took place in the Qatari capital, Doha, on Saturday.

He said: “It has been decided that neither country will undertake any hostile actions against the other, nor will they support groups carrying out attacks against Pakistan.

“Both sides will refrain from targeting each other’s security forces, civilians, or critical infrastructure.”

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif posted confirmation of the deal on X.

Mr Asif wrote: “Cross-border terrorism from Afghan territory will cease immediately.

“Both countries will respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. A follow-up meeting between the delegations is scheduled to take place in Istanbul on October 25 to discuss the matters in detail.”

Pakistan is grappling with insurgent attacks that have surged since 2021, when the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan and returned to power.

The fighting threatened to further destabilise a region where groups including Islamic State and al-Qaida are trying to resurface.

A 48-hour ceasefire intended to pause hostilities expired Friday evening. Hours later, Pakistan struck across the border.

Pakistani security officials said they had carried out attacks on two districts in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province.

The targets were hideouts of the militant Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media. 

One said the operation was a direct response to the suicide bombing of a security forces compound in Mir Ali, in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province a day earlier.

Pakistani Air Force raids killed dozens of armed fighters and there were no civilian deaths, they said.

But Afghan officials said the aerial assaults killed at least 10 civilians, including women, children and local cricketers who had been competing in a match nearby.