Pakistan Links Taliban Ceasefire to Curbing Cross-Border Attacks
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has stated that the continuation of a recently signed ceasefire with the Taliban depends on preventing militant attacks launched from Afghan soil.
Speaking to Reuters on Monday, Asif warned that any hostile activity originating from Afghanistan would be considered a violation of the truce. “Any insurgent activity carried out from Afghan territory is a clear breach of the agreement. Its continuation hinges on the strict adherence to this clause,” he said.
According to Asif, the Taliban have pledged under the ceasefire deal to prevent any aggression against Pakistan from within Afghanistan. He noted that while the agreement is already in effect, its validity is conditional on it not being breached.
The defense minister further claimed that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—a coalition of several militant groups—is operating against Pakistan from inside Afghanistan with the cooperation of the Taliban administration. This, he said, underscores Islamabad’s deep concerns about the Taliban’s inability to restrain such groups.
Asif also defended recent Pakistani airstrikes on Kabul, responding to criticism by stating: “We were attacked; our territory was targeted. So, we responded in kind. They, [the militants], are in Kabul and other areas. Kabul is not off-limits.”
His remarks follow a week of heightened military tensions between Pakistan and militant groups, particularly the TTP. On Sunday morning, both sides signed a ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar and Turkey.
Under the accord, both parties committed to respecting each other’s borders and implementing mechanisms aimed at reinforcing stability in the border regions. However, existing evidence suggests that the Taliban administration has so far failed to effectively curtail the operations of extremist groups from Afghan territory, despite their written commitments.
