AFTER over a week of hostilities during which some of the fiercest exchanges took place between Pakistan and Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, a fragile calm between the two countries has been established.

A long-term ceasefire was reached in Doha early on Sunday, where both sides pledged to continue the diplomatic process and find a permanent solution to the prevailing problem — cross-border incursions by Afghanistan-based terrorist groups. Qatar and Turkiye have played a key role in bringing about the truce, and representatives of both Islamabad and Kabul will meet in Istanbul on Saturday to take the process forward.

Though the Pakistani state and the Afghan Taliban once maintained cordial........

© Dawn