ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia welcomed the announcement of a temporary truce between Pakistan and Afghanistan ahead of the Eid Al-Fitr festival on Thursday, the Kingdom’s foreign office said, reaffirming its commitment to continue diplomatic efforts to pursue peace in the region.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on Wednesday that Islamabad had decided to implement a “temporary pause” in its military operation against Afghanistan ahead of Eid Al-Fitr, calling its gesture in line with Islamic norms while warning of a forceful response to any cross-border attacks. He said the decision had also been taken after requests from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Qatar.
He said the pause in fighting would be implemented from midnight Mar. 18-19, 2026, to midnight Mar. 23-24, 2026. Separately, Afghanistan’s Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani signaled a preference for de-escalation, saying Kabul wanted to resolve the crisis through talks.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s welcome of the announcement of a temporary truce between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Afghanistan on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr,” the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Saudi foreign ministry said prioritizing dialogue and peaceful solutions remains the “optimal path to resolving outstanding disputes.”
“The Kingdom also affirms that it will continue its tireless diplomatic efforts, in coordination with brotherly and friendly countries, to achieve peace, security, and stability in the region,” the statement concluded.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have been locked in their worst fighting in decades, with Islamabad accusing the Afghan Taliban of harboring militants responsible for cross-border attacks, a charge Kabul denies.
Tensions between the two countries rose further this week after Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of targeting a Kabul hospital via airstrikes Monday night, saying over 400 people were killed and 250 were injured.
However, a top Pakistan army officer defended the strike on a local news channel, saying it targeted ammunition storage and drone facilities.
Tarar said on Wednesday that Pakistan has killed 707 militants and Afghan Taliban fighters and injured over 900 since the start of its military campaign against Afghanistan last month.
He also said 81 militant and militant support infrastructure locations across Afghanistan had been effectively targeted by air.
