The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on Monday lauded the ceasefire pact between Pakistan and Afghanistan, calling it a vital step toward enduring peace and regional stability.
In a statement, the Saudi foreign ministry said the landmark agreement was reached during a round of negotiations held in Doha.
"Saudi Arabia welcomes the signing by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Afghanistan of an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries, during the round of negotiations held in Doha," the KSA's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
"The Kingdom affirms its support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability, and its continued commitment to ensuring security that achieves stability and prosperity for the brotherly peoples of Pakistan and Afghanistan."
According to the statement, the Kingdom hopes that this positive step will lead to an end to tensions on the border between the two countries.
"The ministry also appreciates the diplomatic efforts and constructive role played by the State of Qatar and the Republic of Türkiye in this regard."
Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to an immediate ceasefire during talks in Doha, both sides said on Sunday, after a week of fierce border clashes, the worst violence between the South Asian neighbours since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021.
The ceasefire "has been finalised", Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif posted on X on Sunday, saying both sides would meet again on October 25 in Istanbul to discuss "detailed matters".
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement that the parties agreed on a complete and meaningful ceasefire.
Qatar's foreign ministry, which mediated Saturday's talks along with Turkey, said the follow-up meetings were meant "to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire and verify its implementation reliably and sustainably".
The talks were led by Asif and his Afghan counterpart, Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob, both sides said.
The ground fighting between the one-time allies and Pakistani airstrikes across their contested 2,600-km (1,600-mile) frontier were triggered after Islamabad demanded that Kabul rein in militants who had stepped up attacks in Pakistan, saying they operated from havens in Afghanistan.
Pakistani forces gave a befitting response to the aggression, killing over 200 Afghan Taliban and affiliated militants in a self-defence action. The military's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that 23 soldiers embraced martyrdom in the clashes with the Taliban forces and the terrorists.
The Taliban denies giving haven to militants to attack Pakistan and accuses the Pakistani military of spreading misinformation about Afghanistan and sheltering Daesh-linked militants to undermine its stability and sovereignty. Islamabad denies the accusations.
Militants have been waging a war for years against the Pakistani state in a bid to overthrow the government and replace it with their strict brand of Islamic governance.
"The Afghan regime must rein in the proxies who have sanctuaries in Afghanistan and are using Afghan soil to perpetrate heinous attacks inside Pakistan," the Pakistan Army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, said on Saturday, addressing a graduation ceremony of cadets.
The Taliban spokesperson said that at the Doha talks, "It was decided that neither country will take hostile actions against the other, and support will not be provided to groups operating against the government of Pakistan."
In a follow-up post on X, he said it reflected the Taliban's longstanding position that Afghanistan’s territory will not be used against any other country.
The statements made about the agreement do not constitute a joint declaration, he said.