Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that “the ball is in the Afghan Taliban’s court” to ensure a permanent ceasefire between the two neighbours, following a brief but deadly escalation along the border.
His remarks came a day after both countries agreed to a 48-hour truce in the wake of fierce cross-border clashes that left dozens of civilians and soldiers dead.
“If Afghanistan wants to resolve the issue and meet Pakistan’s demands within 48 hours, then we are ready for them,” Sharif said, stressing that Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants must be eliminated and that Afghan territory should not be used for attacks against Pakistan.
The fighting, which flared for the second time in a week, has deepened long-standing tensions over Pakistan’s allegations that the TTP continues to operate from Afghan soil with tacit support from the Taliban government in Kabul — a charge Afghanistan firmly denies.
According to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), at least 17 people were killed and more than 300 injured in the Spin Boldak region of Kandahar during the recent violence. The clashes prompted urgent calls for restraint and humanitarian assistance amid fears of further escalation.
On Wednesday evening, Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced that a temporary ceasefire would take effect from 6 pm, stating that the truce was requested by Kabul. However, the Taliban’s spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed the pause was imposed “at the insistence of the Pakistani side.”
While officials in Pakistan’s northern and southern border regions told AFP that no violence was reported overnight, both sides remain on high alert. A senior security official in Peshawar confirmed that additional paramilitary forces have been deployed to prevent renewed hostilities.
By Friday, sporadic exchanges of fire were again reported, with each side accusing the other of violating the fragile truce.
India on Thursday reacted to the clashes, saying New Delhi "remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan."
In a statement on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal accused Pakistan of hosting "terrorist organisations". He said, "Three things are clear."
"One, Pakistan hosts terrorist organisations and sponsors terrorist activities," Randhir Jaiswal said.
