Page 4 - Afghanistan

Pak holds talks with Afghanistan, warns war possible if deliberations fail

Pakistan and Afghanistan held the second round of talks in Istanbul to establish a joint monitoring and oversight mechanism to curb terrorist movements across the border even as Islamabad warned that war was still an option if talks failed to address its chief concern about terrorism. Dozens of soldiers, civilians and terrorists were killed in clashes earlier this month, creating a war like situation but peace was restored temporarily on October 19 after the two sides held talks -- facilitated by Qatar and Turkey -- in Doha. As agreed in Doha, the second round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban was held on Saturday in Istanbul, Turkiye. Radio Pakistan quoted official sources saying that the discussions were focused on establishing a joint monitoring and oversight mechanism to curb cross-border terrorist movements and addressing trade barriers. The two sides also explored the possibility of reaching a long-term political understanding. Geo News reported that Pakistan

Afghanistan, Pakistan head to Turkey for second round of crisis talks

Afghanistan and Pakistan are heading to Turkey for a second round of crisis talks, officials said Friday, after recent fighting between them killed dozens of people and injured hundreds more. The neighbours are embroiled in a bitter security row that has become increasingly violent, with each side saying they were responding to aggression from the other. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of turning a blind eye to armed groups that cross the border for attacks, a charge the country's Taliban rulers reject. Last weekend, Qatar and Turkey mediated a ceasefire to pause the hostilities. The truce has largely held, although the countries' border remains closed except for Afghan refugees leaving Pakistan. Afghanistan's Chamber of Commerce and Industry said traders are losing millions of dollars a day because border transit and trade have ground to a halt. Southern Kandahar Province was the worst-hit by the recent fighting, especially Spin Boldak on the border, where Pakistani airstrikes kille

Explained: Tomato prices in Pakistan surge over 400%: What’s driving the spike | Pak-Afghan tension

Border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan have disrupted trade, causing prices of essential goods like tomatoes, apples, and grapes to soar.

Piyush Pandey passes away, Kurnool bus tragedy, Blackstone to buy stake in Federal Bank & more

Piyush Pandey, one of India’s most influential advertising professionals, passed away on Friday at the age of 70. He created iconic campaigns for brands like Asian Paints, Cadbury, and Fevicol, and al

India upgrades its technical mission in Kabul to the status of an embassy

MEA announces upgrade of India's Kabul technical mission to embassy status, signalling a stronger diplomatic and developmental engagement with Afghanistan

India upgrades its Kabul mission to embassy to boost ties with Afghanistan

The reopening of Indian embassy in Kabul comes four years after New Delhi withdrew its officials following the Taliban takeover in August 2021

Magnitude 4.6 earthquake jolts Pakistan after recent tremors in region

Earthquakes of moderate 4.0 intensity had hit Pakistan on Saturday and Sunday also

Chaman border crossing partially reopens after Pak-Afghanistan ceasefire

The Chaman border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has partially reopened following a ceasefire between the two countries, after days of violent clashes along the border left several people dead on both sides. Several Afghan families started crossing the southwestern border in Balochistan province on Monday, while multiple Afghan-bound containers were also moved. The Chaman border was sealed when the Pakistan and Afghanistan conflict started, leaving nearly 400 containers carrying goods from the Karachi port stranded at the border. A similar situation was witnessed at the Spin Boldak border crossing in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where containers coming into Pakistan were stranded. The Chaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Nafees Jan Achakzai said since a ceasefire agreement was finalised between both countries in Doha, the border had been partially reopened since Monday evening. During this some 400 containers coming from Karachi have slowly started cross

Qatar removes 'border' reference in Pak-Afghanistan ceasefire statement

Afghanistan Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said no Durand Line discussion occurred in Doha talks, calling it a matter between nations, Tolo News reported

Afghanistan, Pakistan have agreed to immediate ceasefire, says Qatar

Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire, Qatar's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. This follows more than a week of fighting that has killed dozens of people and injured hundreds. Delegations from Afghanistan and Pakistan were in Doha for talks to resolve the crisis. The talks were mediated by Qatar and Turkey. Both the governments had sent their defence ministers to lead the talks, which, Pakistan said, would focus on "immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the border.

Choose 'peace or chaos': Pak Army chief warns Taliban amid rising tensions

Army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Saturday warned Afghanistan to choose between "peace and chaos" as it asked Kabul to take firm and immediate action against terrorists using Afghan soil to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Munir's statement came amidst Pakistan launching fresh air strikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan late Friday, hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended their two-day ceasefire that had temporarily halted hostilities between the two sides. Choose between peace and chaos, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) said, referring to Afghanistan while addressing a graduation ceremony of passing out army cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul at Abbottabad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Taliban regime, he said, should act decisively against militants operating from its soil for terrorist activities in Pakistan. All proxies using Afghan soil would be met with a response to raise them to dust, Munir warned. Friday's strikes by Pakistan foll

Pakistan strikes terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan after TTP attack

Pakistan launched fresh air strikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, casting a shadow over the expected talks in Doha amid a fragile ceasefire that had temporarily halted hostilities between the two sides. The strikes followed a gun-and-bomb attack by terrorists at a military installation in North Waziristan, and just hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended their two-day ceasefire, the Dawn reported on Saturday. There was no statement from Pakistan's military, but the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility for the early Friday attack on Khaddi Fort in Mir Ali. The security sources said they foiled the attack by eliminating all four attackers without suffering any loss. Pakistan late Friday targeted the Angoor Adda region and also hideouts across Afghanistan's Urgun and Barmal districts of Paktika province, as security sources claimed that precision strikes were conducted against hideouts of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, ..

'Would be easy one to solve': Trump comments on Afghan-Pak conflict

After recent border clashes, Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire, blaming each other for insisting on it

Afghanistan Cricket Board mourns 3 cricketers killed in Pakistan airstrike

The board confirmed that the players, identified as Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, were among eight people killed in the airstrike in the Urgun district

Afghan Police accuse Pakistan of cross-border strikes after ceasefire ends

Pakistan's military carried out strikes in southeastern Afghanistan on Friday, just hours after a two-day ceasefire between the neighbouring countries expired, an Afghan police official said. The bombings struck southeastern Paktika province and two other areas close to the Pakistan border, and included a strike on a civilian house in Khanadar village that resulted in casualties, police spokesman Mohammadullah Amini Mawia said. He gave no further details, including how the strikes were delivered. There was no immediate comment from Pakistan about the Afghan claim. The ceasefire that began on Wednesday had halted several days of fighting that killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds. It ended on Friday evening with no formal announcement of an extension, though diplomatic efforts to halt the hostilities were underway and Qatar reportedly offered to host peace talks. The strikes in southeastern Afghanistan came hours after Pakistani officials said that a suicide car bomber backed

Datanomics: How India-Afghanistan ties have shifted under Taliban 2.0

India cautiously renews economic engagement with Afghanistan, balancing humanitarian aid and trade ties without extending formal recognition to the Taliban regime

28 more Afghan refugee camps shut down in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Twenty-eight more Afghan refugee camps have been closed down in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, officials said on Friday, as Islamabad intensifies its nationwide crackdown on illegal foreign residents. According to a notification issued by the Interior Ministry, eight camps were shut in Peshawar, three in Nowshera, five in Hangu, four in Kohat, and two in Mardan. Two camps in Swabi, one in Buner, and three in Dir districts were also closed. Authorities have been instructed to return all vehicles, equipment, and other facilities earlier provided to the refugee camps to their respective district administrations. Earlier, similar notifications had been issued for the closure of camps in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, and Haripur districts of the province. Pakistan hosts over 1.7 million registered Afghan refugees, with many more living without documentation. The government recently launched a repatriation drive, citing security and economic concerns, prompting thousands

China welcomes Pakistan-Afghanistan 48-hour ceasefire, urges lasting truce

China on Thursday welcomed the 48-hour ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan after heavy fighting and called on both the countries to reach a comprehensive and lasting truce to resolve their differences. We noted that Pakistan and Afghanistan decided to implement a temporary ceasefire and will seek a solution through constructive dialogue, which serves the common interests of the two sides and helps keep the region peaceful and stable. China welcomes and supports the effort, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a media briefing her. China supports the two countries in staying "cool-headed and exercising restraint", realising a full and lasting ceasefire, properly handling differences through dialogue and consultation, he said. The two countries should return to the track of political settlement, maintaining peace and stability in both countries and the wider region, he said, adding that China will play a constructive role for the improvement of their relations. Chi

Pakistan, Afghanistan agree on 48-hour ceasefire following border clashes

Pakistan on Wednesday said a 48-hour ceasefire has been agreed with Afghanistan, amid border clashes between the two countries that have killed dozens of people on both sides. "A temporary ceasefire has been decided between the Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban regime, with the mutual consent of both parties, for the next 48 hours from 6 pm today, at the request of the Taliban," the Foreign Office was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper. During this period, both sides will make sincere efforts to find a positive solution to this complex but solvable issue through constructive dialogue, the FO said. There was no immediate confirmation from the Afghan government. State-run PTV News earlier reported that the Pakistan armed forces conducted precision strikes in Afghanistan's Kandahar province and the capital Kabul. Citing security sources, it said in a statement on social media that dozens of foreign and Afghan operatives were killed in these precision strikes. Earlier,

Pakistani forces clash with Afghan Taliban on border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Intense fighting broke out once again on Tuesday night between Pakistani security forces and the Afghan Taliban along the border between the two countries in Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, state media reported. According to the state broadcaster PTV News, Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij opened unprovoked fire in Kurram. Pakistani Army responded with full force and intensity. The term Fitna al-Khawarij is used by Pakistani authorities to refer to militants of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). PTV News reported that Afghan Taliban posts sustained heavy damage, with at least one tank destroyed after being hit. The Taliban fighters reportedly fled their positions following the exchange of fire. Later updates from the broadcaster said that another post and tank position of the Afghan Taliban were destroyed in the Kurram sector, followed by reports of a fourth tank position at Shamsadar post being hit. It also quoted sources as saying that a key commander of Fit