Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a short-term cessation of hostilities over Eid al-Fitr, offering a fragile pause in a rapidly escalating conflict that has drawn international concern following a deadly airstrike in Kabul. The truce, set to run from Thursday to Monday, comes amid mounting civilian casualties, diplomatic pressure, and sharply heightened rhetoric from both sides.
Eid Truce Announced Amid Mounting Regional Pressure
The temporary ceasefire was confirmed on Wednesday by officials in Islamabad and Kabul, with both sides signalling a willingness to halt military operations during the Islamic holiday. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the pause had been requested by “brotherly Islamic countries” including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye.
“Pakistan offers this gesture in good faith and in keeping with the Islamic norms,” Tarar wrote in a social media post.
However, the announcement was accompanied by a clear warning: “in case of any cross-border attack, drone attack or any terrorist incident inside Pakistan, [operations] shall immediately resume with renewed intensity”.
Afghanistan’s Taliban administration soon echoed the move, stating it would temporarily suspend military actions during the same period.
Kabul Airstrike Fuels Anger and Global Scrutiny
The ceasefire follows one of the deadliest incidents in recent months, after Pakistani jets struck a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul on Monday night. Taliban authorities initially claimed that around 400 people were killed and more than 200 injured.
The United Nations, however, reported 143 confirmed deaths at the Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital, a large 2,000-bed facility, underscoring the difficulty of verifying casualty figures in the aftermath.
Islamabad has “strongly” rejected accusations that it targeted civilians, maintaining that its operations are directed solely at “terrorist infrastructure and military locations”.
Nonetheless, the scale of devastation and the nature of the site have intensified international scrutiny and condemnation.
Retaliation Threats Underscore Fragility of the Pause
Despite agreeing to the Eid truce, Afghanistan’s leadership has signalled that tensions remain acute. Speaking at a mass funeral for victims, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani condemned the strike in stark terms.
“We will take revenge,” he said, warning those responsible, “We are not weak and helpless. You will see the consequences of your crimes.”
While he indicated openness to diplomatic engagement, the tone reflected deep unease within Kabul.
“We do not want war but the situation has come to this,” he said. “So, we are trying to solve the problems through diplomacy.”
The conditional nature of the ceasefire has led analysts to question whether the pause represents a genuine step towards de-escalation or a tactical move to ease international pressure.
Escalating Conflict Along the Durand Line
The latest violence forms part of a broader surge in hostilities along the 2,640-kilometre Durand Line, which separates the two countries. Clashes intensified after Taliban forces launched an operation in late February, which they described as a response to earlier Pakistani airstrikes.
Pakistan, for its part, has argued that its actions are necessary to prevent armed groups from using Afghan territory to carry out attacks across the border.
The cycle of retaliation has resulted in repeated cross-border exchanges and air raids, raising fears of a wider regional destabilisation.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as Civilian Toll Rises
The human cost of the conflict continues to mount. The United Nations has warned that the situation is placing severe strain on Afghanistan’s already fragile health infrastructure.
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “the intensifying conflict is placing additional strain on health systems and increasing risks to the health and well-being of vulnerable populations”.
“I urge all parties to de-escalate and prioritize peace and health,” he wrote, noting that at least six health facilities have been affected since late February.
On the ground, the aftermath of the Kabul strike has been described in harrowing detail. Aid workers reported widespread destruction, with difficulties in identifying victims due to the severity of injuries.
“I saw a finger in one place, a foot in another place, a hand in one location. It was really horrific,” said Jacopo Caridi, Afghanistan country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Mass burials have taken place in Kabul, with dozens of coffins carried to hillside graves as families mourned their losses.
Diplomatic Efforts Continue, but Long-Term Peace Elusive
International actors have cautiously welcomed the temporary truce. Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described it as a “positive gesture that contributes to de-escalation and promotes calm between the two sides”.
The ministry added that it hopes the pause “will pave the way for a return to a sustainable ceasefire agreement, one that spares civilian lives and achieves security and stability”.
Yet broader mediation efforts have struggled to gain traction. Gulf states that initially pushed for dialogue have shifted focus to other regional crises, while offers from China and Russia to facilitate talks have yet to produce tangible outcomes.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has warned of a worsening humanitarian outlook, noting that even before the Kabul strike, at least 76 civilians had been killed in earlier fighting and more than 115,000 families displaced.
A Temporary Lull in a Prolonged Conflict
As Eid approaches, the ceasefire offers a brief respite from weeks of intense violence. However, with both sides maintaining hardened positions and issuing conditional commitments, the pause appears tenuous.
Rather than signalling a breakthrough, the truce underscores the volatility of a conflict that continues to escalate, with little indication of a durable resolution on the horizon.
