Pakistan and Afghanistan Agree to Eid Ceasefire as TTP Declares Own Three-Day Truce

The guns fell silent along the Durand Line on Thursday for the first time in weeks, as Pakistan and Afghanistan each declared a temporary halt to military operations for Eid al-Fitr — the holiday marking the end of Ramadan. Hours later, the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan added its own three-day ceasefire, producing the first complete lull in fighting since clashes erupted in late February Pakistan and Afghanistan agree to temporary Eid al-Fitr ‘pause’ in conflictaljazeera.com·SecondaryPakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a temporary “pause” in hostilities during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr this week, officials said, amid weeks of deadly violence between the neighbouring countries. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the pause – set to run from midnight on Thursday (19:00 GMT, Wednesday) until midnight on Tuesday (19:00 GMT, Monday) – had been requested by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye..

The pause, however fragile, comes against the backdrop of one of the deadliest episodes in the escalating conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. On Monday night, a strike on the Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul killed what Afghan Taliban authorities say were more than 400 people and wounded over 260 Pakistan announces temporary Eid pause in conflict with Afghanistanfrance24.com·SecondaryPakistan on Wednesday announced a "temporary pause" in hostilities with Afghanistan ahead of the Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, said a senior Pakistani official. It came hours before Afghans held a mass funeral in Kabul for the victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug treatment centre.. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan recorded 143 confirmed deaths and 119 wounded in the incident, underscoring the difficulty of establishing an independent toll in an active war zone Pakistan announces Eid al-Fitr 'pause' in conflict with Afghanistanlemonde.fr·SecondaryPakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday, March 18, announced a halt in fighting during celebrations for the end of Ramadan, after the deadliest strike in their escalating conflict killed hundreds in Kabul earlier this week. The governments in Islamabad and Kabul said in separate statements that Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey had requested a pause in fighting over Eid al-Fitr and both agreed..

A Ceasefire Brokered by Gulf and Turkish Diplomacy

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced the pause on Wednesday, saying it would take effect at midnight and last until midnight on March 23. The decision, he said, came at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey — the same trio that brokered a previous ceasefire in October after the deadliest cross-border clashes of last year Pakistan and Afghanistan agree to temporary Eid al-Fitr ‘pause’ in conflictaljazeera.com·SecondaryPakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a temporary “pause” in hostilities during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr this week, officials said, amid weeks of deadly violence between the neighbouring countries. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the pause – set to run from midnight on Thursday (19:00 GMT, Wednesday) until midnight on Tuesday (19:00 GMT, Monday) – had been requested by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye..

Tarar framed the move as a gesture of good faith consistent with Islamic norms. But he paired it with a clear warning: any cross-border attack, drone strike, or terrorist incident inside Pakistan during the pause would trigger an immediate resumption of operations with renewed intensity Pakistan announces temporary Eid pause in conflict with Afghanistanfrance24.com·SecondaryPakistan on Wednesday announced a "temporary pause" in hostilities with Afghanistan ahead of the Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, said a senior Pakistani official. It came hours before Afghans held a mass funeral in Kabul for the victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug treatment centre..

The Afghan Taliban government followed with a matching announcement shortly after. Spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said Kabul would temporarily suspend its defensive military operations for Eid, also at the request of the three mediating countries. He added, however, that Afghanistan would respond to any aggression or threat Pakistan announces temporary Eid pause in conflict with Afghanistanfrance24.com·SecondaryPakistan on Wednesday announced a "temporary pause" in hostilities with Afghanistan ahead of the Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, said a senior Pakistani official. It came hours before Afghans held a mass funeral in Kabul for the victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug treatment centre..

The TTP Factor

The most unexpected development came early Thursday when the TTP — Pakistan's most lethal domestic insurgent group — declared its own ceasefire. Mohammad Khurasani, the group's spokesman, said the truce was intended to allow people to observe Eid al-Fitr in peace. The TTP ceasefire is set for three days, beginning on the first day of Eid, expected to start on Friday subject to a moon sighting Pakistan and Afghanistan agree to temporary Eid al-Fitr ‘pause’ in conflictaljazeera.com·SecondaryPakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a temporary “pause” in hostilities during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr this week, officials said, amid weeks of deadly violence between the neighbouring countries. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the pause – set to run from midnight on Thursday (19:00 GMT, Wednesday) until midnight on Tuesday (19:00 GMT, Monday) – had been requested by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye..

The TTP is distinct from but allied to the Afghan Taliban. Since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021, the TTP has significantly escalated attacks inside Pakistan. The group is designated a terrorist organization by both the United States and the United Nations. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban government of sheltering TTP leaders and thousands of fighters who launch cross-border raids. Kabul consistently denies the charge Pakistan and Afghanistan agree to temporary Eid al-Fitr ‘pause’ in conflictaljazeera.com·SecondaryPakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a temporary “pause” in hostilities during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr this week, officials said, amid weeks of deadly violence between the neighbouring countries. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the pause – set to run from midnight on Thursday (19:00 GMT, Wednesday) until midnight on Tuesday (19:00 GMT, Monday) – had been requested by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye..

The TTP's decision to declare its own parallel ceasefire adds a layer of complexity. Some analysts view it as a signal that the Afghan Taliban may exercise more influence over the group than it publicly acknowledges. Others see it as a pragmatic move by the TTP to avoid being blamed for any breakdown in the fragile truce.

The Kabul Rehabilitation Centre Strike

The ceasefire negotiations took place under the shadow of Monday's devastating strike on the Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed facility in the Afghan capital. Afghan Red Crescent volunteers carried dozens of simple wooden coffins from ambulances to a mass grave on a rain-swept hillside above Kabul on Wednesday Pakistan announces temporary Eid pause in conflict with Afghanistanfrance24.com·SecondaryPakistan on Wednesday announced a "temporary pause" in hostilities with Afghanistan ahead of the Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, said a senior Pakistani official. It came hours before Afghans held a mass funeral in Kabul for the victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug treatment centre..

At the graveside, Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani — who until last year carried a $10 million US bounty on his head — called the victims innocent people targeted by criminals Pakistan announces temporary Eid pause in conflict with Afghanistanfrance24.com·SecondaryPakistan on Wednesday announced a "temporary pause" in hostilities with Afghanistan ahead of the Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, said a senior Pakistani official. It came hours before Afghans held a mass funeral in Kabul for the victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug treatment centre.. His rhetoric mixed grief with defiance, stating that Afghanistan would take revenge while also acknowledging that diplomacy remained the government's preferred path.

Pakistan categorically rejected claims that it deliberately targeted a medical facility. Tarar said Pakistani strikes in Kabul were aimed at an ammunition depot, not any hospital. The military has maintained throughout the conflict that its operations target terrorist infrastructure and militant positions, not civilian sites Pakistan announces Eid al-Fitr 'pause' in conflict with Afghanistanlemonde.fr·SecondaryPakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday, March 18, announced a halt in fighting during celebrations for the end of Ramadan, after the deadliest strike in their escalating conflict killed hundreds in Kabul earlier this week. The governments in Islamabad and Kabul said in separate statements that Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey had requested a pause in fighting over Eid al-Fitr and both agreed..

The dispute over the nature of the target highlights the broader challenge of establishing facts in this conflict, where both sides regularly claim to have inflicted heavy damage on the other while independent verification remains nearly impossible.

A Conflict With Deep Roots

The current fighting represents the worst period of hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan in decades. Cross-border clashes erupted in late February after Afghanistan's Taliban authorities launched operations against Pakistani military positions along the 2,640-kilometre Durand Line, the colonial-era border that Kabul has never formally recognized Pakistan announces temporary Eid pause in conflict with Afghanistanfrance24.com·SecondaryPakistan on Wednesday announced a "temporary pause" in hostilities with Afghanistan ahead of the Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, said a senior Pakistani official. It came hours before Afghans held a mass funeral in Kabul for the victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug treatment centre..

The Taliban government said its operation was in response to deadly Pakistani airstrikes. Pakistan, for its part, said its strikes were aimed at stopping armed fighters from using Afghan territory to carry out attacks. Before Monday's rehabilitation centre strike, the United Nations had documented at least 76 Afghan civilian deaths from the fighting since February 26, with more than 115,000 families forced from their homes Pakistan announces temporary Eid pause in conflict with Afghanistanfrance24.com·SecondaryPakistan on Wednesday announced a "temporary pause" in hostilities with Afghanistan ahead of the Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, said a senior Pakistani official. It came hours before Afghans held a mass funeral in Kabul for the victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug treatment centre..

Tarar also stated that 707 people had been killed in Pakistan's operations against Afghanistan, though this figure could not be independently confirmed.

Mediation Efforts and Geopolitical Crosscurrents

The role of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey as mediators reflects the limited options available to the international community. Gulf states, which led early diplomatic efforts, have seen their attention partly diverted by the escalating situation involving US-Israeli military operations against Iran Pakistan announces temporary Eid pause in conflict with Afghanistanfrance24.com·SecondaryPakistan on Wednesday announced a "temporary pause" in hostilities with Afghanistan ahead of the Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, said a senior Pakistani official. It came hours before Afghans held a mass funeral in Kabul for the victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug treatment centre..

China has dispatched a special envoy and pledged to play a constructive role in de-escalating tensions. Russia's special representative for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, told Russian media that Moscow stood ready to help broker talks if both sides requested it, adding that no such request had been made Pakistan announces temporary Eid pause in conflict with Afghanistanfrance24.com·SecondaryPakistan on Wednesday announced a "temporary pause" in hostilities with Afghanistan ahead of the Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, said a senior Pakistani official. It came hours before Afghans held a mass funeral in Kabul for the victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug treatment centre..

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the truce as a positive gesture contributing to de-escalation, expressing hope it would pave the way for a sustainable ceasefire agreement that spares civilian lives Pakistan announces Eid al-Fitr 'pause' in conflict with Afghanistanlemonde.fr·SecondaryPakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday, March 18, announced a halt in fighting during celebrations for the end of Ramadan, after the deadliest strike in their escalating conflict killed hundreds in Kabul earlier this week. The governments in Islamabad and Kabul said in separate statements that Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey had requested a pause in fighting over Eid al-Fitr and both agreed..

What Happens Next

The ceasefire is set to expire at midnight on Monday for the state-to-state pause, and after three days for the TTP truce. The critical question is whether the temporary halt can be extended into something more durable.

Previous truces in this conflict have been short-lived. The October ceasefire brokered by the same mediating countries collapsed within weeks. The underlying grievances — Pakistan's insistence that Afghanistan harbours TTP militants, and Kabul's accusations of Pakistani aggression against Afghan territory — remain unresolved.

The humanitarian toll continues to mount. The World Health Organization has warned that the intensifying conflict is placing additional strain on health systems and increasing risks to vulnerable populations. At least six health facilities in Afghanistan have been affected by the violence since late February Pakistan announces temporary Eid pause in conflict with Afghanistanfrance24.com·SecondaryPakistan on Wednesday announced a "temporary pause" in hostilities with Afghanistan ahead of the Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, said a senior Pakistani official. It came hours before Afghans held a mass funeral in Kabul for the victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug treatment centre..

For now, the Eid pause offers a reprieve for civilians on both sides of the border. Whether it becomes a stepping stone toward negotiations or merely an intermission before the next round of fighting will depend on whether any of the mediating powers can translate the temporary silence into lasting dialogue.