Pakistan vows to “eradicate terrorist threat” as truce with Afghanistan ends

Monday 23 March 2026 - 12:15

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaffirmed on Monday the country’s determination to “eradicate the terrorist threat” as a temporary ceasefire with Afghanistan came to an end. The truce, mediated by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, was intended to last until midnight Monday local time during the Eid al-Fitr celebrations.

The temporary ceasefire followed a Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul that killed hundreds, as well as weeks of clashes along the border regions since February 26. Islamabad accuses Kabul of harboring fighters from the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), responsible for deadly attacks in Pakistan, a claim denied by the Taliban government.

On Sunday, a civilian was killed in Afghanistan’s Kunar province by a shell fired by Pakistani forces, according to the Taliban and medical sources. Despite several mediation attempts by Gulf states and China, tensions remain high. Regional powers are now focused on their own security, following the Israel-U.S. strikes on Iran that triggered a wider Middle East conflict.

Ishaq Dar emphasized that Pakistan’s actions in Afghanistan are directed at eliminating terrorist threats and maintaining national security, signaling that cross-border operations may continue if deemed necessary.