Pakistan PM Says ‘Ball in Afghan Taliban’s Court’ for Permanent Ceasefire
Pakistan’s prime minister said on Thursday that “the ball is in the Afghan Taliban’s court” for a permanent ceasefire, a day after a 48-hour truce was called in the wake of deadly cross-border clashes.
The remarks came a day after the 48-hour ceasefire was announced, following a week of violence along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier in which dozens of troops and civilians were killed on both sides.
Pakistan is facing a resurgence of attacks against its security forces on its western border with Afghanistan, led by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) — the Pakistani Taliban — and its affiliates.
Islamabad has accused Kabul of harbouring militant groups led by the TTP on its soil, a claim Kabul denies.
Tensions spiked last week when explosions struck Afghan territory, including the capital, which Taliban officials blamed on Pakistan.
The blasts occurred while Afghanistan’s foreign minister was on a rare diplomatic visit to India, Pakistan’s eastern neighbour and longtime rival.
Afghan Taliban forces launched an offensive near the border in response, prompting Islamabad to vow a strong retaliation.
The temporary ceasefire, which came into effect at 6 pm Islamabad time (13:00 GMT) on Wednesday, was aimed at halting the bloodshed and opening a window for talks.
Pakistan has repeatedly called on the Taliban to stop militant groups from using Afghan territory as a staging ground for cross-border attacks since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
