Pakistan has reiterated its commitment to eliminating terrorism as a temporary ceasefire with Afghanistan approaches its expiration.
The truce, agreed upon by both countries last week to mark the Eid al-Fitr celebration, followed weeks of escalating hostilities along their shared border. The ceasefire is set to end at midnight on Monday.
Speaking in a message commemorating Pakistan Day, the country’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, stressed that Islamabad’s position on security remains unchanged.
“Pakistan remains firmly committed to eradicating the menace of terrorism,” Dar said. “Our actions within Afghanistan are guided by this objective.”
Tensions between the two neighbours have intensified in recent months, with Islamabad accusing Afghan authorities of harbouring militant groups responsible for cross-border attacks—an allegation the Taliban-led government has repeatedly denied.
Reports from Afghan officials and medical sources on Sunday indicated that at least one person was killed in Kunar province following a mortar strike allegedly fired from the Pakistani side of the border.
The latest ceasefire followed a deadly airstrike in Kabul earlier in the week, which Afghan authorities claimed resulted in hundreds of casualties at a drug rehabilitation centre.
In a separate statement, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, defended the country’s military operations, describing them as necessary for national security.
“Military actions undertaken beyond our borders reflect our resolve to combat terrorism,” Sharif said.
“We will not allow any threat to undermine the peace and stability of our nation.”
Efforts to de-escalate the conflict through international mediation, including interventions by Gulf nations and China, have so far yielded limited results.
With the ceasefire deadline looming, uncertainty remains over whether both sides will sustain the fragile pause in hostilities or return to active confrontation.
