Khawaja Asif Announces Ceasefire to End Terrorism on Pak-Afghan Border

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, in an interview with Al Jazeera Arabia, announced a historic ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The main goal of the agreement is to end terrorism affecting the border areas of both countries.

Khawaja Asif thanked the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the Turkish delegation led by Ibrahim Kashkari for their mediation efforts. The agreement was made possible through the important role played by Qatar and Turkey.

The defense minister highlighted that terrorism has caused serious damage to both nations for many years and even led to direct clashes last week. Both countries now agree that ending terrorism immediately is essential to protect regional peace.

A follow-up meeting to finalize the details of the agreement is scheduled next week in Istanbul. Afghan Defense Minister also admitted that terrorism is the main cause of tension between the two countries and emphasized the need to control it.

The agreement will establish clear procedures to resolve ongoing issues and aims to improve relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is expected that trade and transit will resume, allowing Afghanistan to use Pakistani ports again.

Khawaja Asif added that Afghan refugees with legal documents will be allowed to stay in Pakistan, while undocumented refugees will continue to be repatriated. He also stressed that border crossings must be formalized, similar to international standards.

Although the defense minister expressed cautious optimism, saying it is too early to be fully satisfied, he hopes the agreement will bring lasting peace and stronger ties between the two neighboring countries. He also expressed gratitude for the support and confidence provided by Qatar and Turkey.