ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to reopen their border crossings within 48 hours, following a fragile ceasefire that brought an end to a week of fierce clashes along the frontier, officials told Geo News on Monday.
The decision marks the first tangible progress since fighting erupted earlier this month when Afghan Taliban fighters and allied militants launched attacks on Pakistani military posts near the Torkham and Chaman crossings. Pakistan responded with heavy artillery fire and precision strikes inside Afghanistan, hitting militant positions in Kandahar and Kabul.
According to Pakistan’s military, more than 200 Taliban fighters were killed in the skirmishes, while 23 Pakistani soldiers died defending their posts. The clashes prompted Islamabad to seal both major crossings on October 12, halting trade and stranding thousands of trucks carrying food, medicine, and construction goods.
A temporary 48-hour ceasefire announced on October 15 at Kabul’s request was extended twice, culminating in Qatar-mediated talks that led to Sunday’s agreement. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif confirmed the deal, saying delegations will meet again on October 25 in Istanbul, Türkiye, to work out a longer-term framework.
“The primary objective of this ceasefire is to eliminate terrorism,” Asif said, noting that both sides had acknowledged extremism as the root cause of border instability.
The ceasefire has brought a tentative calm to the frontier. “People can breathe again,” said Sadiq Shah, a shopkeeper from Baizai on the Pakistani side. “Both sides are Muslim, both are Pashtun—why are we fighting each other?”
Meanwhile, trade remains paralyzed. Over 1,500 trucks remain stranded at Torkham, while Afghan officials warn that perishable goods are rotting. Taliban economy ministry spokesman Abdul Rahman Habib cautioned that the delay could inflate prices, deepen unemployment, and destabilize markets.
Both nations now face the challenge of turning the ceasefire into lasting cooperation—a delicate task in a region where peace has rarely lasted long.
