As Cross-Border Fighting Continues, Muslim Nations Including Turkey Push For Pakistan-Afghanistan Ceasefire Talks
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also reported to have received multiple calls from the three leaders. Image courtesy: RNA
Clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border are nearing a fortnight now, raising concerns across the region and prompting several Muslim-majority nations to push for urgent ceasefire negotiations between the two neighbours. Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia have stepped up diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
Leaders of these Muslim-dominated nations have urged both sides to return to dialogue, after days of deadly clashes, which are reported to have killed dozens of civilians. The ongoing hostilities have heightened fears of a wider security crisis along one of South Asia’s most volatile frontiers.
Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict: Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia step in
According to diplomatic sources cited by CNN News18, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto have been actively engaging Pakistan’s leadership to encourage a ceasefire.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reportedly received multiple calls from the three leaders, during which they stressed the need to halt hostilities and begin talks with Afghanistan. The leaders also offered to mediate between Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban leadership in an effort to de-escalate the situation.
Defence delegations expected in Pakistan
As part of the mediation push, senior defence delegations from Turkey and Malaysia are expected to visit Pakistan soon. According to the diplomatic sources cited by News 18, their visit will focus on facilitating ceasefire discussions and exploring ways to stabilise the border situation.
Meanwhile, Malaysian officials, Turkish authorities and Indonesian leadership have also established contact with the Taliban government in Afghanistan, urging it to agree to a ceasefire with Pakistan.
Why Pakistan and Afghanistan are clashing
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained high since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. The two countries share a 2,600-kilometre-long porous border, known as the Durand Line, which has long been disputed by Afghanistan and frequently witnesses militant activity.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban government of allowing militant groups to operate from Afghan territory, including factions linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Kabul, however, has denied these allegations, while also accusing Pakistan of cross-border military strikes and violations of Afghan sovereignty. These tensions have periodically erupted into border skirmishes involving artillery fire, drone strikes and cross-border raids.
Previous mediation attempts failed
This is not the first time that regional powers have tried to mediate between the two sides. Following clashes between Pakistan’s military and the Afghan Taliban in October last year, several countries, including Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, attempted to broker peace. However, those diplomatic efforts failed to produce a lasting agreement.
Fresh push for ceasefire ahead of Eid
Diplomatic sources now suggest that renewed mediation efforts by Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia could lead to progress in the coming days.
According to officials familiar with the discussions, Pakistan has agreed in principle to explore ceasefire talks, although it has reportedly placed certain conditions on the process. Sources say there is cautious optimism that a breakthrough could emerge around the upcoming Eid period, if both sides agree to halt hostilities.
