Istanbul: In a significant diplomatic development, Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to extend their ceasefire for another week following talks held in Istanbul, the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced on Friday. The ministry stated that both nations would reconvene in Istanbul on November 6 for the next round of discussions.
As part of the agreement, all parties consented to establish a joint monitoring mechanism to ensure adherence to the ceasefire and impose penalties on violators. The decision comes amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours after several days of intense border clashes.
Earlier peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan, also hosted by Turkey, had ended in failure, with both sides blaming each other for the stalemate. Pakistan accused Afghanistan of rejecting its “logical and legitimate” demands, including assurances that Afghan territory would not be used for terrorist attacks on Pakistan. Kabul, however, maintained that it had made all possible efforts to restore peace.
The two countries recently engaged in nearly ten days of continuous cross-border attacks, resulting in dozens of casualties on both sides. Reports indicated that several Taliban fighters and three Afghan cricketers were among those killed, prompting diplomatic intervention from Qatar and Turkey.
U.S. President Donald Trump also reacted to the escalating situation, stating that he would take steps to prevent a full-scale war between the two nations. Following mediation efforts by Qatar and Turkey, delegations led by Afghan Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob and Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif met in Doha to discuss immediate actions to curb cross-border terrorism and restore stability along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
A joint statement issued by @MFATurkiye & @MofaQatar_EN
Pak-Afghan have agreed to extend the ceasefire, hold further negotiations on counterterrorism, and remain in contact to strengthen their relationship
A big achievement for the Muslim world.
Credit goes to #Türkiye & #Qatar pic.twitter.com/pLR000NwtM— Zeshan Syed (@ZeshanSyed08) October 31, 2025