Pakistan and Afghanistan mutually agreed on Friday to extend their 48-hour ceasefire until conclusion of planned talks in Doha, according to three Pakistani security officials and one Afghan Taliban source.
Diplomatic sources have confirmed that the temporary ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghan Taliban has been extended at Kabul’s request, after the initial 48-hour truce expired at 6pm on Friday.
According to the sources, the extension was granted following a formal request from the Afghan Taliban government, which had earlier sought the short-term pause to ease tensions along the border.
They added that high-level negotiations between the two sides are expected to begin on Saturday to discuss mechanisms for de-escalation and future cooperation.
Meanwhile, the federal government on Friday decided to ensure expedited and dignified repatriation of Afghan nationals without further extension.
The decision was made after a high-level meeting chaired by the prime minister on the repatriation of Afghan refugees, where the PM reaffirmed Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to supporting Afghanistan in times of difficulty but noted that continued involvement of Afghan nationals in cross-border terrorism was a matter of grave concern.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif directed all provincial governments and relevant federal institutions to work in close coordination to ensure the early and orderly repatriation of all Afghan nationals residing illegally in Pakistan, emphasizing that no further extension would be granted for their stay.
The prime minister appreciated Pakistan’s decades-long hospitality towards millions of Afghan refugees despite enormous economic and security challenges, recalling that Pakistan had borne heavy losses in the war against terrorism both in lives and resources.
He noted that despite multiple diplomatic efforts, including high-level visits by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, and other senior officials to Kabul, Pakistan’s concerns regarding the use of Afghan soil by terrorist groups remained unresolved.
“Pakistan’s brave people, who have sacrificed so much in the fight against terrorism, now rightly ask how long we can continue bearing the burden of Afghan refugees,” the prime minister remarked.
The forum was briefed that as of October 16, 2025, more than 1.47 million Afghan nationals had already been repatriated in a phased manner. Authorities informed that only those holding valid Pakistani visas would be allowed to stay, while the number of exit points on the border was being increased to facilitate a faster return process.
The prime minister instructed that the repatriation be carried out in a dignified and humane manner, particularly ensuring respect for the elderly, women, children, and members of minority communities. He warned that harboring or sheltering illegal Afghan residents, including allowing them to stay in guest houses, was a punishable offense under the law.
PM Shehbaz Sharif also lauded the Pakistan Armed Forces under the leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir for effectively repelling recent cross-border attacks from Afghanistan and reaffirmed that Pakistan’s armed forces have always proven their professional excellence in defending the homeland.
The meeting participants, including the Prime Minister of AJK and provincial leaders, appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic achievements and praised the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir in steering national policy on the issue.
Concluding the session, the PM directed all provincial governments and institutions to fully implement the agreed recommendations and extend complete cooperation to ensure the timely and dignified repatriation of all illegal Afghan residents from Pakistan.
The meeting was attended by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, federal ministers, the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan, and the representative of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, Muzzammil Aslam.
Earlier in the day, the Foreign Office (FO) stated that Pakistan and Afghanistan are sincerely working towards resolving the “complex but solvable” issue of border clashes amid a temporary ceasefire.
During a weekly press briefing at the FO, spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan highlighted that during the 48-hour ceasefire, both sides were making “sincere efforts to find a positive resolution to this complex but solvable issue through constructive dialogue”.
“Pakistan greatly values dialogue and diplomacy and a mutually beneficial relationship with Afghanistan,” he said. “At the same time, the Government of Pakistan continues to closely monitor the situation and would take all possible measures to safeguard its territory and the lives of its people.”
Khan added that Pakistan wants a “peaceful, stable, friendly, inclusive, regionally connected, and prosperous Afghanistan” but highlighted that Kabul needs to fulfil its obligations and promises under the Doha Process. He also reiterated Pakistan’s requests to the Afghan Taliban to prohibit the use of their soil for terrorism.
“Pakistan has repeatedly shared its concerns related to the presence of Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan operating from Afghan soil,” Khan said.
“Pakistan expects concrete and verifiable actions against these terrorist elements by the Taliban regime.”