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ISTANBUL: Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to extend a ceasefire during talks in Istanbul after the worst border clashes between the neighbors in years, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Friday, adding that onus was now on Kabul to take action against militant groups.

The fresh round of negotiations, facilitated by Turkiye and other friendly nations, was aimed at easing border tensions between the two sides who earlier this month exchanged fire, leaving dozens of soldiers, civilians and militants dead, before a ceasefire was reached on Oct. 19.

Despite the collapse of multiple rounds of talks, the ceasefire has largely held and no new border clashes were reported this week. However, both countries have kept major crossings closed, leaving hundreds of trucks carrying goods and refugees stranded on each side.

Speaking to a Pakistani news channel, Information Minister Tarar described the outcome of talks Istanbul talks as a “victory” for Pakistan and said the responsibility now rests with the Afghan Taliban to take concrete action against militant groups.

“Pakistan’s stance has been clear, support for terrorism must end. A mechanism for monitoring, verification, and enforcement in case of violations will also be implemented,” he said, thanking Qatar and Turkiye for their mediation.

The clashes erupted on Oct. 11 after Pakistan conducted airstrikes on what it called Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan-affiliated targets in Afghanistan. Kabul said it was a violation of its sovereignty.

Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan of allowing the use of its soil by militant groups, particularly the TTP that has stepped up attacks inside Pakistan in recent years. Kabul denies the allegation.

In a joint statement, Turkiye said the two sides had agreed to continue the truce and decided to meet again on Nov. 6 in Istanbul to discuss “further modalities of the implementation” of the ceasefire agreement.

“All parties have agreed on continuation of ceasefire,” the Turkish foreign ministry said on X.

“All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and imposing penalty on the violating party.”

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid issued a separate statement shortly before midnight in Istanbul, saying both sides had agreed to continue discussions in future meetings.

Afghanistan sought good relations with Pakistan “based on mutual respect and non-interference,” he said.

Pakistan did not immediately comment.

ANKARA: Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to maintain a ceasefire following peace talks in Istanbul, Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry announced Thursday, after a dialogue between the two sides collapsed earlier in the week.

The sides plan to meet again at a higher-level gathering in Istanbul on Nov. 6 to finalize how the ceasefire will be implemented, the ministry said in a statement released on behalf of Pakistan, Afghanistan and mediators Turkiye and Qatar.

“All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and imposing penalty on the violating party,” the statement read.

The new round of negotiations, facilitated by Turkiye and other friendly nations, was aimed at easing border tensions between the two sides who earlier this month exchanged fire, leaving dozens of soldiers, civilians and militants dead.

Despite the collapse of the previous round of talks, a ceasefire has largely held and no new border clashes were reported this week. However, both countries have kept major crossings closed, leaving hundreds of trucks carrying goods and refugees stranded on each side.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif told the Geo news channel the decision to give peace another chance was made by Pakistan at the request of Qatar and Turkiye, and that the Pakistani delegation, set to return home Wednesday night, was asked to stay in Istanbul.

According to Pakistani state-run television, Islamabad said the talks will be based on Pakistan’s central demand that Afghanistan take clear, verifiable and effective action against militant groups.

In Islamabad, two senior security officials told The Associated Press that Pakistan has once again stressed that Afghan soil should not be used for what it called “terrorism” against Pakistan and that it appreciates the constructive role of its hosts and remains committed to seeking a peaceful resolution in good faith.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media on the record.

Tensions flared earlier this month after explosions were heard in Kabul, and Afghanistan’s Taliban government accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes in the capital and bombing a market in the country’s east.

Afghan officials on Oct. 12 said they retaliated by targeting Pakistani military posts, claiming 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed. However, Pakistan’s military said the fighting left 23 of its soldiers dead and that its operations were targeting militant hideouts inside Afghanistan.

The clashes prompted Qatar to host emergency talks between the two neighbors, resulting in a ceasefire on Oct. 19. That was followed by four days of negotiations in Istanbul that ended inconclusively on Tuesday. Since then, Qatar and Turkiye have been working to bring the delegations back to the negotiating table, the Pakistani officials said.

On Thursday, Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, told a gathering of tribal elders in Peshawar that Pakistan seeks peace with all its neighbors, including Afghanistan, but will not tolerate cross-border terrorism from Afghan soil.

He said Pakistan in recent years exercised restraint and made diplomatic and economic overtures to improve ties, but the Taliban government instead supported the TTP, which was listed as a terrorist group by the United Nations and the United States over a decade ago.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks in recent months, most claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a group closely allied to the Taliban in Afghanistan. Many of their leaders and fighters are believed to be sheltering in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

The Pakistani military said Thursday it killed 18 militants in two separate operations in the southwestern province of Balochistan. In a separate statement, it said four Pakistani Taliban, including a high-value target, were killed as they attempted to sneak into Bajaur, a city bordering Afghanistan.