After days of tense diplomacy in Istanbul, Afghanistan and Pakistan have concluded their high-stakes negotiations aimed at defusing the simmering crisis along their volatile border. The meetings, held from October 25-30 following mediation from Türkiye and Qatar, produced a cautious agreement to extend the ceasefire first reached in Doha earlier this month.

According to a joint statement released on Thursday, representatives of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Türkiye, and Qatar “agreed on continuation of ceasefire” and announced that senior officials will reconvene in Istanbul on November 6 to finalise implementation details. The parties also committed to creating a monitoring and verification mechanism to uphold the truce and impose penalties on any violators – a key demand from both sides seeking to prevent renewed clashes.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, in a parallel statement issued by spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, stressed its commitment to resolving disputes “through diplomacy and understanding.” Mujahid said Kabul had appointed “a comprehensive and professional team” and conducted the talks “sincerely and seriously”, underscoring the Emirate’s desire for “positive ties with Pakistan” based on mutual respect, non-interference, and non-aggression.

“The Istanbul negotiations, which were a complex process, concluded with agreement that both sides will meet again and discuss the remaining issues,” Mujahid noted, extending gratitude to Türkiye and Qatar for mediating the process.

The discussions came against the backdrop of heightened tension following weeks of cross-border fire and mutual recriminations. Earlier in the day, Afghanistan’s Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani warned Pakistan that “any act of aggression against Afghanistan will be a big mistake and could cost Pakistan dearly,” while reiterating that the door to dialogue remains open.