Pakistan announces 48-hour ceasefire on 'Afghan govt's request'

• Dozens of Afghan and foreign operatives killed.
• Militants attempted infiltration from Turkmenzai area.
• Operation ongoing, more casualties reported.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have agreed to a temporary 48-hour ceasefire on the request of the Afghan Taliban regime, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa) announced on Wednesday.

"At the request of the Afghan Taliban regime, and with mutual consent, Pakistan and the Taliban have agreed to a temporary ceasefire for 48 hours, effective from 6pm this evening," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

During this period, the FO said, both sides will engage in constructive dialogue aimed at finding a "positive and sustainable resolution" to this issue.

The development comes shortly after the Pakistan Army, as per the security sources, carried out precision strikes against key Taliban positions in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, successfully destroying multiple strongholds in response to recent aggression.

According to the sources, the operations targeted Taliban Battalion No 4 and Border Brigade No 6, both of which were completely destroyed during the strikes. The attacks resulted in the deaths of dozens of Taliban militants and foreign operatives, the sources confirmed.

The security sources emphasised that the Pakistan Army possesses full capability to respond effectively to any external aggression and will continue to safeguard national borders with strength and resolve.

'State of panic'

Meanwhile, the security sources said the Pakistan Army’s strong and decisive retaliatory strikes have left the Afghan Taliban in a state of panic.

According to the sources, the defeated Taliban, after suffering heavy human and material losses, have been forced to resort to false propaganda to conceal their failures.

The security sources added that the Taliban’s spokesperson shared a propaganda post on social media in a failed attempt to spread misinformation. They said that Pakistan’s recent operations targeted the leadership of Fitna al-Hindustan in Kabul.

In the video shared online, the impression was given that a T-55 tank had been captured from the Pakistan Army, the sources said. However, they clarified that the Russian-made T-55 tank shown in the footage is, in fact, operated by the Afghan Taliban themselves.

The security sources further said that Pakistan’s armed forces successfully repelled the Taliban’s aggression with full effectiveness and remain steadfast in the defence of the motherland despite the group’s false propaganda.

Infiltration bid

Simultaneously, militants attempted to infiltrate Pakistan through the Turkmenzai border area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Mohmand district. The infiltration attempt was aimed at launching terrorist activities inside Pakistan, the sources said.

The security sources further revealed that the Pakistani forces’ timely and forceful response thwarted the plot, forcing the Afghan Taliban to rely on elements of Fitna al-Khawarij to continue their operations.

A major formation sent from across the border was completely neutralised in Mohmand, where at least 30 militants were killed, the sources added.

The sources reiterated that the Pakistan Army possesses the full capability to respond to any external aggression. The operation is still underway, with reports suggesting further militant casualties.

'15-20 Taliban killed'

Security forces have successfully repelled an unprovoked attack launched by the Afghan Taliban in the Spin Boldak area of Balochistan in the early hours of October 15, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The statement further said that the Afghan Taliban also destroyed Pak-Afghan Friendship Gate on their side, a move the ISPR said clearly displays the mindset with regards to mutual trade and easement rights of the divided tribes.

While repulsing the attack, 15-20 Afghan Taliban have been killed and many injured, the ISPR said.

"The situation is still developing. There are reports of further build-up in staging points of Fitna al-Khawarij and Afghan Taliban," it added.

The ISPR further stated that the Spin Boldak incident was not isolated, noting that on the night of October 14 and 15, Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij tried to attack Pakistani border posts in the Kurram Sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The military’s media wing says these attacks were effectively repulsed, causing heavy losses to Afghan posts.

“Eight [Afghan] posts, including six tanks, were destroyed in the effective yet proportionate response of Pakistani troops. 25-30 Afghan Taliban and Fitna Al Khawarij fighters were suspected to have been killed,” the statement added.

Heightened tensions

Islamabad and Kabul are witnessing heightened tensions amid the interim Afghan government's reluctance to act against terrorist groups, operating from Afghan soil, in the backdrop of rising terror attacks in Pakistan.

The country has witnessed a surge in cross-border terror incidents since Taliban rulers returned to Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan.

The two nations share a porous border spanning around 2,500 kilometres with several crossing points, which hold significance as a key element of regional trade and relations between the people across both sides of the fence.

However, the issue of terrorism remains a key issue for Pakistan, which has urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used by groups such as the TTP to carry out attacks inside the former’s territory.

Islamabad’s reservations have also been confirmed by a report submitted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which has revealed a nexus between Kabul and the TTP, with the former providing logistical, operational, and financial support to the latter.

Pakistan has hosted Afghans for more than four decades, from the Soviet invasion through the Taliban takeover in 2021. Some refugees were born and raised in Pakistan; others are still waiting for third-country relocation.

According to media reports, following a 2023 crackdown on undocumented Afghans and those exceeding legal status, more than 554,000 Afghans have been returned since April 2025 under Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan — including around 145,000 in August.