(MENAFN) Kabul and Islamabad are holding peace talks in Doha on Saturday, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said, with the Qatari government acting as mediator.

The negotiations follow recent Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province that killed five people, including three cricket players. “A high-level delegation from Pakistan, led by our Minister of Defense, will hold discussions with representatives of the Afghan Taliban in Doha today,” the ministry wrote on X. “The talks will focus on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border.”

Pakistan emphasized that it “does not seek escalation” but called on the Afghan Taliban to honor international commitments and address Islamabad’s “legitimate security concerns” through verifiable action against terrorists in border regions.

The two countries had agreed to a temporary ceasefire on Wednesday, with Qatar inviting them to negotiate a permanent truce and resolve mutual security issues.

Cross-border tensions have escalated in recent years, with both sides accusing each other of harboring militants. After heavy fighting last weekend, the Taliban claimed to have killed 58 Pakistani soldiers, while Islamabad said it captured 19 Afghan border posts.

Pakistani Defense Minister Khwaja Asif, leading the Doha talks, accused Afghanistan of waging a “proxy war” on behalf of India. Indian officials, however, maintained that New Delhi “remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan,” according to a statement from the Indian Foreign Ministry.

MENAFN19102025000045017640ID1110216116