Afghanistan, Pakistan extend truce after Turkiye, Qatar’s mediation

In a bid to strengthen peace efforts between Afghanistan and Pakistan, high-level delegations from both countries, along with mediators from Turkiye and Qatar, held a series of meetings in Istanbul from October 25 to 30 to keep up the recently agreed ceasefire.

According to a joint statement posted by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, the meetings were aimed at “solidifying the ceasefire, which was agreed by Afghanistan and Pakistan in Doha on 18-19 October with the mediation of Turkiye and Qatar”. “All parties have agreed on continuation of ceasefire,” the statement read.

It added that further modalities of the implementation would be discussed and decided in a principal-level meeting in Istanbul on November 6.

The statement further noted that all parties had agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that would ensure maintenance of peace and imposing penalty on the violating party. “As mediators, Turkiye and Qatar express their appreciation for the active contribution of both parties and stand ready to continue cooperation with both sides for lasting peace and stability,” it said.

The latest round of meetings followed a period of heightened tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with both sides experiencing a rapid deterioration in ties and a border conflict earlier his month.