China, Iran and Turkey welcome Afghanistan-Pakistan ceasefire

Doha [Qatar], October 19 (ANI): The ceasefire agreement between the delegations of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and Pakistan has received positive responses from neighbouring countries, according to Tolo News. The pact, reached after intensive talks in Doha, marks a step toward stabilising cross-border relations in the region.

Yue Xiaoyong, China's Special Envoy for Afghanistan, expressed hope that the immediate ceasefire would remain sustainable, emphasising the importance of continued regional stability.

Reza Bahrami, Director General for South Asia at Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described the agreement as "a beneficial, constructive, and notable step," adding, "The collective interests of all regional countries depend on the strengthening of calm, stability, and security," Tolo News reported.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, called the agreement "the first step in the right direction," underlining the need to prevent further human casualties and noting that "specific mechanisms should be determined in the next meeting."

He elaborated, "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. It is important to put all efforts in place to prevent any further loss of lives."

Political analyst Najib-ur-Rahman Shamal welcomed the development, saying, "We hope this agreement can bring lasting peace to both countries. Representatives of the two countries are expected to meet again in Turkey, and therefore, the observing countries must maintain their own reports."

Former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, also described the deal as welcome news, achieved through mediation by Qatar and Turkey.

Suhail Shaheen, Acting Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Qatar, confirmed that "it was agreed in Doha that Pakistan will not support opposition forces or attacks against the Islamic Emirate, and likewise, Afghanistan will not support opposition groups or attacks within Pakistan."

International relations analyst Wahed Faqiri highlighted the importance of local voices in such agreements, stating, "It is the people of the region who suffer, so they too must have a voice in such agreements."

Zakir Jalaly, Second Deputy Minister of Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, reiterated Afghanistan's long-standing position on preventing its soil from being used against other countries.

He said, "From the outset, Afghanistan's principled position emphasised dialogue and understanding, and this stance was reiterated in the presence of mediators in Doha. In reality, Afghanistan has never violated any country's sovereignty--rather, it was Pakistan that breached Afghan airspace, which was the main trigger for the conflicts," Tolo News reported.

The Islamic Emirate delegation, led by Defence Minister Mullah Yaqub Mujahid, arrived in Qatar yesterday. Following several hours of talks with the Pakistani delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, both sides announced an immediate ceasefire agreement.

Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Minister of Defence of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, stressed that no one is allowed to violate Afghanistan's sovereignty or disturb the country's security. Speaking at an online press conference from Doha, he emphasised that the Durand Line is hypothetical and was not discussed in any part of the agreement, adding that it remains a matter between nations, Tolo News reported.

The Durand Line, established in 1893 in the Hindu Kush, runs through the tribal lands between Afghanistan and British India and later marked the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Signed by British civil servant Sir Henry Mortimer Durand and Amir Abdur Rahman, the 2,670-km line demarcated their respective spheres of influence, stretching from China's border to Iran. Pakistan inherited the line after independence in 1947, though it has been rejected by Pashtuns and not formally recognised by Afghanistan.

Referring to the upcoming meeting in Turkey, Mujahid said discussions would focus on mechanisms of the current agreement. Responding to a question on guarantees that Pakistan will not attack again, he said, "Pakistan made its commitment in the presence of two other countries," Tolo News reported. He added that any attacks would be met with reciprocal action, noting previous violations of Afghan airspace.

Mujahid further clarified that trade between the two countries would return to normal and stressed that Afghanistan, as an independent nation, maintains positive relations with all countries, including Pakistan, based on national interests. On Afghan refugees, he said, "We discussed the situation of Afghan refugees and emphasised that they must be treated humanely."

Meanwhile, Ishaq Dar lauded the peace agreement while reiterating Pakistan's accusations against Afghanistan for recent attacks. In a post on X, he said, "Welcome the Agreement finalised late last night in Doha. It is the first step in the right direction. Deeply appreciate the constructive role played by brotherly Qatar and Turkiye. 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. It is important to put all efforts in place to prevent any further loss of lives."

Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during a telephone conversation with Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim, blamed Afghanistan for recent cross-border escalations. The PM's Office said, "The Prime Minister also apprised his Malaysian counterpart of the security situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. He underscored that Pakistan seeks peace and stability in Afghanistan but continues to face cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghan soil. The Prime Minister emphasized that the Afghan authorities must take effective measures to take immediate and effective steps to dismantle terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil that continue to orchestrate attacks inside Pakistan."

The statement added, "He reaffirmed that Pakistan had agreed to a temporary ceasefire at the request of the Afghan authorities to facilitate dialogue in Doha, and stressed the importance of tangible action against all terrorist entities, including Fitna-al-Khwarij, Fitna-al-Hindustan, TTP, and BLA, to restore peace and stability along the border."

Afghanistan's Prime Minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, blamed Pakistan for recent border clashes, stating that Islamabad "initiated" the conflict by violating Afghan territory during a telephone conversation with his Malaysian counterpart, Dato' Mohammad Anwar Ibrahim, according to government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. In a series of posts on X, Mujahid said the Afghan Prime Minister reaffirmed that Kabul does not seek conflict but was forced to respond after alleged Pakistani aggression.

Earlier in the day, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Turkiye on Sunday welcomed the agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan to a ceasefire under the mediation of Turkiye and Qatar. In a statement posted on X, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "We welcome that Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire under the mediation of Turkiye and Qatar and decided to establish mechanisms to strengthen peace and stability between the two countries during the talks held in Doha."

The ministry added, "We commend the efforts of Qatar, which also hosted the talks." The statement further said, "Turkiye will continue to support the efforts for achieving lasting peace and stability between the two brotherly countries and in the region."

The agreement comes after Qatar on Saturday (local time) announced that Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed to an "immediate ceasefire" following intense border clashes, with plans for follow-up talks to ensure its "sustainability." The announcement marked a significant diplomatic breakthrough mediated by Qatar and Turkiye in Doha.

According to Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides committed to holding follow-up meetings in the coming days to ensure the durability and implementation of the ceasefire and to foster long-term peace and stability between the two neighbouring nations.

"A round of negotiations between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Afghanistan was held in Doha, mediated by the State of Qatar and the Republic of Turkiye. During the negotiations, the two sides agreed to an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries," the statement said.

"The two parties 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, thus contributing to achieving security and stability in both countries," it added.

Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed optimism that the breakthrough would help de-escalate tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and lay the groundwork for lasting peace in the region.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the State of Qatar's hope that this important step will contribute to ending tensions on the border between the two brotherly countries and form a solid foundation for sustainable peace in the region," the statement concluded.

The Doha meeting follows a deadly ceasefire violation by Pakistan on Friday in Afghanistan's southeastern Paktika province, killing 17, including three Afghan cricketers. According to Tolo News, the airstrikes hit residential areas in the Argun and Barmal districts, causing significant civilian casualties. (ANI)

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