Pakistan pauses military operation in Afghanistan for Eid

KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan said Wednesday it is pausing its military operation in Afghanistan for the Muslim holiday of Eid, following requests from Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The pause will begin at midnight Wednesday and continue until March 23, Information Minister Ataullah Tarrar said on US social media company X.

“Pakistan offers this gesture in good faith and in keeping with the Islamic norms,” he said, adding that in case of any cross-border attack the operation will immediately resume.

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also announced a temporary halt to operations ahead of Eid al-Fitr, citing goodwill and requests from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Qatar.

He added that while the pause reflects a commitment to peace, Afghanistan will firmly respond to any threat to its sovereignty, territorial integrity, or the safety of its people.

The temporary pause comes two days after deadly Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul that left 408 people dead, according to Afghan officials.

Islamabad said it targeted military sites, while Kabul said those killed included drug addicts undergoing treatment.

India’s condemnation of the Pakistani airstrikes on Monday night prompted a sharp response from Islamabad, which rejected New Delhi’s remarks as “baseless, misleading and unwarranted.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the criticism reflects India’s “hypocrisy and duplicity,” accusing it of supporting terrorism from Afghan soil and urging it to refrain from interfering in Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts.

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have worsened in recent weeks as border tensions escalated, causing casualties and property damage.

Since late February, cross-border clashes have killed at least 107 people on both sides, including 13 soldiers and five civilians in Pakistan, with one soldier still missing.

Afghan authorities say 13 soldiers and 76 civilians have been killed in Afghanistan, excluding the latest casualties claimed in Monday’s strike.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said it documented 76 civilian deaths and 213 injuries in Afghanistan between Feb. 26 and March 16, excluding the incident at Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul late Monday, due to ongoing hostilities.

Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of harboring anti-Pakistan militant groups, which Kabul denies.