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#BREAKING: Pakistan, Afghanistan temporarily pauses operation ahead of Eid

By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has announced a temporary pause in its ongoing military campaign, Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq, targeting what it describes as terrorist networks and their support infrastructure in Afghanistan, as regional tensions continue to escalate.

The halt, confirmed by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, will be in effect from midnight March 18/19 until midnight March 23/24, coinciding with the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. Officials said the decision was taken both as a goodwill gesture and following requests from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye.

According to Pakistani officials, recent operations have inflicted significant losses on what they describe as “Fitna al-Khawarij,” including hundreds of militants killed, military posts destroyed, and dozens of strategic sites targeted across Afghanistan.

Pakistan also says it carried out precision strikes on installations in Kabul and Nangarhar, as well as along border regions such as Bajaur, Kurram, Torkham, and North and South Waziristan, insisting no civilian infrastructure was deliberately hit.

The escalation follows weeks of intensifying cross-border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which have left at least 107 people dead on both sides since late February.

Pakistan reports casualties including soldiers and civilians, while Afghan authorities say dozens of their troops and civilians have also been killed.

According to Tarar, so far 707 Afghan Taliban and TTP terrorists have been killed and 938 injured during the three-week-long operation, while 255 posts were destroyed, 44 others captured and 237 tanks, armoured vehicles and astillery guns detroyed. While Pakistan also hit 81 terrorist locations across Afghanistan.

Islamabad accuses Afghan authorities of harboring anti-Pakistan militant groups responsible for attacks inside its territory, a claim Kabul has repeatedly denied.

Tarar warned that while the pause reflects goodwill and respect for the religious occasion, any cross-border attack or terrorist incident inside Pakistan would trigger an immediate resumption of operations “with renewed intensity.”

Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also announced a temporary suspension of “Defensive Operations ” ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, citing goodwill and requests from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Qatar.