A senior Pakistani delegation has arrived in Doha for crucial talks with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, signaling a potential thaw in relations following recent border clashes, according to TOLOnews.
According to reliable sources, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and intelligence chief Asim Malik are leading Islamabad’s team. From Kabul, a delegation headed by Mullah Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid, Afghanistan’s Defense Minister, and Abdul Haq Wasiq, chief of the Islamic Emirate’s intelligence agency, is expected to join the talks on Saturday.
Diplomatic sources in Qatar confirmed that the 48-hour ceasefire between the two countries has been extended at Pakistan’s request until the conclusion of the negotiations. The discussions are expected to focus on prolonging the truce and addressing mounting political and security disputes that have alarmed regional powers and international observers.
Janat Faheem Chakari, a political analyst, said the high-level nature of the delegations offers “a real chance for meaningful progress.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, emphasized Islamabad’s desire for “a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan,” calling on the Taliban to “act responsibly and uphold their commitments to counter terrorism.”
Marvin Weinbaum, director of Afghanistan and Pakistan Studies at the Middle East Institute, noted that Qatar’s mediation has once again proven pivotal. “This was getting out of control,” he said. “Doha’s timely intervention, likely supported quietly by China and the United States, helped prevent a deeper crisis.”
Facilitated by Qatar and Turkey, the Doha meeting marks the first formal engagement between the two sides since last week’s deadly skirmishes along their border.
