Pakistan, Afghanistan ceasefire agreement first step in right direction: Ishaq Dar

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Sunday welcomed the Pakistan-Afghanistan ceasefire agreement finalized late Saturday night in Doha, Qatar, describing it as “the first step in the right direction.”

In a post on his X account, Dar expressed gratitude for the “constructive role” played by Qatar and Turkiye in facilitating the agreement.

He said Pakistan now looks forward to the establishment of a “concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism” at the next meeting, which will be hosted by Turkiye, to address the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil towards Pakistan.

“It is important to put all efforts in place to prevent any further loss of lives,” he stressed.

Read More: Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to ceasefire in Doha talks

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a ceasefire, following 13 hours of negotiations held in Doha.

According to the Qatari Foreign Ministry’s statement, both sides also agreed to establish a permanent mechanism for mutual peace and stability. A follow-up meeting will be held in the coming days to ensure the implementation and sustainability of the ceasefire.

The statement asserted that these measures will contribute to strengthening peace, security, and stability between the two brotherly Islamic nations, and help lay the foundation for ending border tensions and promoting lasting regional peace.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed the development on X, stating that the ceasefire agreement marks an end to terrorist activity from Afghan soil into Pakistan.