Pakistan’s prime minister stated on Thursday that “the ball is in the Afghan Taliban’s court” regarding a permanent ceasefire, following a 48-hour truce called after deadly cross-border clashes.
“If in 48 hours they want to resolve the issues and address our genuine demands, then we are ready for them,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told his cabinet, emphasizing that Pakistani Taliban militants should be eliminated and that Afghan territory should not be used to plot attacks.
These remarks came a day after the 48-hour ceasefire was announced, following a week of violence along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier where dozens of troops and civilians were killed on both sides.
Pakistan is experiencing a resurgence of attacks against its security forces on its western border with Afghanistan, led by the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) — the Pakistani Taliban — and its affiliates.
Islamabad has accused Kabul of harboring militant groups led by the TTP on its soil, a claim that Kabul denies.
Tensions escalated last week when explosions struck Afghan territory, including the capital, which Taliban officials blamed on Pakistan.
The blasts occurred while Afghanistan’s foreign minister was on a rare diplomatic visit to India, Pakistan’s eastern neighbor and longtime rival.
Afghan Taliban forces launched an offensive near the border in response, prompting Islamabad to vow strong retaliation.
The temporary ceasefire, which took effect at 6 pm Islamabad time (1300 GMT) on Wednesday, aimed to halt the bloodshed and open a window for talks.
Pakistan has repeatedly called on the Taliban to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory as a staging ground for cross-border attacks since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
