Pakistan, Afghanistan announce 'temporary pause' in fighting

ISLAMABAD: (Mar 19) Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday announced a "temporary pause" in fighting in view of Eid-ul-Fitr and at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar, a day after the Afghan government accused Islamabad of killing 400 people in an attack on a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul.

Pakistan's Information Minister Ataullah Tarar made the announcement in a post on X, hours after his country carried out fresh attacks on alleged Taliban positions in the border region.

"In view of the upcoming Islamic festival of Eid-ul-Fitr, upon its own initiative as well as on the request from the brotherly Islamic countries" of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye, Pakistan has decided to announce a temporary pause amidst ongoing Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq, he said.