Pakistan, Afghanistan Agree to Maintain Ceasefire After Istanbul Peace Talks

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to maintain a ceasefire following several days of peace talks mediated by *Turkey and Qatar*, according to a statement from Turkey’s Foreign Ministry. The negotiations, held in Istanbul, aimed to ease escalating border tensions that recently led to deadly clashes between the two countries.

Both sides will meet again on *November 6* at a higher-level gathering in Istanbul to finalise the *implementation and monitoring mechanism* of the ceasefire. The statement said all parties have agreed to establish a system to verify compliance and impose penalties for violations.

The ceasefire, which began on *

*October 19*, has largely held, with no fresh reports of border clashes this week. Afghan government spokesperson *Zabihullah Mujahid* reiterated Kabul’s commitment to resolving disputes through diplomacy and maintaining relations with Pakistan based on *“mutual respect and non-interference.”*

Pakistan’s Defence Minister *

*Khawaja Mohammad Asif* said his country decided to “give peace another chance” at the request of Turkey and Qatar. However, Islamabad stressed that Afghan territory must not be used by militant groups targeting Pakistan.

The talks mark a cautious step toward restoring stability after weeks of rising hostilities and underline regional efforts to sustain peace along the volatile *

Pakistan-Afghanistan border*.