KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Pakistan has announced a temporary halt to its military operations against Taliban targets inside Afghanistan, according to the country’s information minister.
Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the suspension of strikes against what he described as “terrorists and their support infrastructure in Afghanistan” would take effect on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.
He stated that the decision was made unilaterally at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey.
According to the minister, the pause will begin at midnight on Wednesday and remain in place until midnight on 23 March.
However, Tarar warned that Pakistan would immediately resume its military campaign, known as Operation Ghazab-ul-Haq, with greater intensity if there are any cross-border attacks, drone strikes, or terrorist incidents inside Pakistan.
The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have not yet responded to the announcement.
The development comes amid continued violence along the border. Local Taliban officials in Kunar Province say at least six civilians were wounded in Pakistani rocket attacks on Wednesday.
Zia-ur-Rahman Spin Ghar, head of information at the Taliban-run Department of Information and Culture in Kunar, said the wounded were injured in the provincial capital, Asadabad, as well as in Nari District.
He added that the wounded were transferred to the provincial hospital for treatment.
According to the official, Pakistani forces carried out dozens of rocket attacks over the past 24 hours, including 63 strikes in Nari district, 33 in Manogai District, 13 in Sarkani District, six in Shultan District, and six in Asadabad.
Cross-border shelling by Pakistan into border areas of Kunar has continued since the latest round of clashes with the Taliban began.
Residents and local sources say the attacks have killed and injured civilians and forced hundreds of families to flee their homes.
Tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban have been escalating for the past three weeks, raising concerns across the region. Several countries have urged both sides to de-escalate and resolve their differences through dialogue.
The airstrikes occurred amid escalating tensions between the Taliban and Islamabad in recent months, with both sides exchanging fire and airstrikes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Pakistan says its operations target Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants and their support networks operating from Afghan territory.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has documented at least 289 civilian casualties from recent Pakistani airstrikes across several provinces, including 76 deaths. Humanitarian groups and regional powers, including China, Russia, and Turkey, have called for de-escalation, highlighting the need to protect civilians and maintain border stability amid fears of further displacement and worsening humanitarian needs.
