Islamabad, Oct 15 (PTI) Pakistan on Wednesday said a 48-hour ceasefire has been agreed with Afghanistan, amid border clashes between the two countries that have killed dozens of people on both sides.
“A temporary ceasefire has been decided between the Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban regime, with the mutual consent of both parties, for the next 48 hours from 6 PM today, at the request of the Taliban,” the Foreign Office said.
However, the Taliban-led Afghan government’s chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that “at the request and insistence of the Pakistani side, a ceasefire between the two countries will take effect today after 5:30 PM.” In a post on social media, Mujahid said the government has directed all its forces to respect the ceasefire, unless any aggression takes place.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said that during the ceasefire, both sides “will make sincere efforts to find a positive solution to this complex but solvable issue through constructive dialogue.” The ceasefire came hours after state-run PTV News reported that Pakistan conducted “precision strikes” in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and capital Kabul, killing dozens of foreign and Afghan operatives.
“Pakistan Army’s retaliatory action against Afghan Taliban aggression, key hideouts destroyed. Key hideouts of Afghan Taliban successfully targeted by Pakistan Army,” it said in a statement on X, quoting security sources.
“These precision strikes were carried out in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. As a result of these strikes, Afghan Taliban Battalion Number 4 and Border Brigade Number 6 completely destroyed. Dozens of foreign and Afghan operatives killed.” It added that the Pakistan Army possessed the “full capability to give a strong and complete response to any external aggression”.
Earlier in the day, the Pakistan Army said that it repulsed multiple attacks by the Afghan Taliban while killing over 40 attackers in separate incidents of border clashes.
The Afghan Taliban attacked four locations in the Spin Boldak area of Balochistan province, which were effectively repulsed by Pakistani Forces, the army said. “While repulsing the attack, 15-20 Afghan Taliban have been killed and many injured,” the army said, adding that the situation is still developing as there are “reports of further build up in staging points of Fitna Al Khwarij and Afghan Taliban.” The Pakistan government last year notified the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as “Fitna al-Khawarij”, a reference to a group in earlier Islamic history which was involved in violence.
The attack was orchestrated through divided villages in the area, with the Taliban showing no regard for the civilian population, it said. “The Afghan Taliban also destroyed Pak-Afghan Friendship Gate on their side that clearly displays the mindset with regard to mutual trade and easement rights of the divided tribes,” the army said.
The attack in Spin Boldak was not an isolated event, as on the night of October 14, the Afghan Taliban and TTP tried to attack Pakistani border posts in the Kurram Sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“These attacks were effectively repulsed, causing heavy losses to Afghan Posts. Eight posts, including six tanks, were destroyed in the effective yet proportionate response of Pakistani troops, (and) 25-30 Afghan Taliban and Fitna Al Khwarij fighters were suspected to have been killed,” it said.
The army rejected the insinuations that Pakistan initiated the attack by calling it “outrageous and blatant lies, just like the claims of capturing Pakistani posts or equipment”.
It further said that the propaganda of the Taliban regime can be debunked with basic fact checks.
The army further asserted that all acts of aggression against Pakistan will be responded to with full force.
Islamabad has consistently urged the Taliban government to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghan territory for cross-border attacks.
Kabul, however, denies these allegations, insisting that Afghan soil is not being used against any neighbouring country.
The situation deteriorated between the two neighbours following repeated terrorist attacks by the TTP, allegedly using the Afghan soil, including one in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Orakzai district recently, which claimed the lives of 11 military personnel, including a Lt Colonel and a Major. PTI SH/CORR/ZH RD ZH ZH
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.