Doha, October 19 (Udaipur Kiran): Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following high-level talks held in Doha, the capital of Qatar. The decision aims to end the recent escalation of violence along the shared border that has caused casualties among both soldiers and civilians over the past two weeks.

According to a statement released by the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs on social media platform X, the talks were held with the mediation of Qatar and Turkey. Both nations agreed to halt hostilities and initiate the next round of discussions in Doha and Islamabad to ensure the effective implementation of the ceasefire agreement. Qatar expressed hope that this development would help reduce border tensions and promote regional stability.

As reported by Gulf News, Pakistan was represented by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Intelligence Chief General Asim Malik, while the Afghan delegation was led by Defence Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob, accompanied by Intelligence Chief Abdul Haq Waqiq.

Ahead of the talks, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had stated that the discussions would focus on ending cross-border terrorism and restoring peace and stability along the border. The ministry also appreciated Qatar’s mediation efforts and expressed optimism that the dialogue would contribute to long-term regional peace.

The ceasefire comes after a sharp escalation in border clashes. The situation worsened last week when three Afghan cricketers were reportedly killed in an airstrike, which Kabul claimed was carried out by Pakistan in violation of the truce. Islamabad, however, denied the allegation, saying its forces had targeted terrorist camps operating in border areas.