By The South Asia Times

Doha/Islamabad/Kabul — Pakistan and Afghanistan have signed a bilateral peace agreement in Doha, Qatar, following several days of deadly cross-border clashes that killed dozens on both sides.

The negotiations, mediated by Qatar and Türkiye, concluded late Saturday with both countries reaffirming their commitment to peace, mutual respect, and non-aggression.

According to a statement released by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, the agreement includes a comprehensive ceasefire and pledges from both nations to refrain from any hostile actions against each other. The two sides also agreed not to support groups or individuals carrying out attacks against the other’s territory.

Under the agreement, Pakistan and Afghanistan will avoid targeting each other’s security forces, civilians, or critical infrastructure. A monitoring mechanism, with the participation of intermediary countries, will be established to oversee compliance and address future disputes.

Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif also confirmed the agreement and said deal has been finalized.

 "The series of terrorism from Afghanistan on Pakistan's soil will be stopped immediately. Both neighboring countries will respect each other's territory. Alhamdulillah The delegations will meet again in Istanbul on 25 October. And detailed matters will be discussed. We are sincerely grateful to both brotherly countries, Qatar and Turkey," he wrote on X.

The Pakistan delegation was led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while the Afghan Taliban delegation was headed by Acting Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob Mujahid. Qatar’s intelligence chief Abdullah bin Mohammed al-Khulaifi and Türkiye’s intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın served as mediators and guarantors of the accord.

The breakthrough came after a week of escalating hostilities along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Fighting erupted last week following cross-border raids attributed to Taliban-linked militants, prompting retaliatory Pakistani strikes.

A 48-hour ceasefire announced on Wednesday temporarily halted the clashes, but tensions remained high as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters reportedly attempted to violate the truce by crossing into Pakistan for attacks. Pakistani security forces killed over 100 TTP militants in subsequent operations, while a suicide bomber struck a military installation in North Waziristan on Thursday.

The peace agreement marks the first formal understanding between the two sides since tensions spiked earlier this year, with Islamabad accusing the Taliban-led government in Kabul of allowing TTP militants to use Afghan soil for cross-border attacks.

Observers say the Doha accord could serve as a foundation for broader regional stability if both sides adhere to its terms. However, analysts also warn that ensuring compliance—particularly from non-state militant groups—will be a key test of the agreement’s durability.

Both sides expressed gratitude to Qatar and Türkiye for their mediation efforts and pledged to continue dialogue to strengthen bilateral relations and ensure lasting peace along the shared border.