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CWA # 1832
CW Note
Pakistan and Afghanistan: Military Strikes, Border Clashes and Ceasefire Talks

  Vani Vyshnavi Jupudi
31 October 2025

In the news
During 7-9 October, the TTP ambushed a Pakistani military convoy in Kurram district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing 11 soldiers. Pakistan responded with airstrikes in Kabul and three other Afghan provinces. The Taliban declared that the bombings violated Afghan national sovereignty while warning about future counterattacks. 

During 11-12 October, the Taliban and Pakistan engaged in border clashes, following the former's launching attacks on Pakistan border facilities across the Durand Line. Pakistan responded. The clashes involved artillery battles, drone strikes and ground combat operations between the two forces. According to Pakistan media reports, Pakistan lost 23 soldiers and killed more than 200 Taliban fighters. 

During 15-19 October, a brief ceasefire mediated by Qatar in Doha allowed the reopening of the Chaman border crossing for stranded civilians. The Doha peace talks on 19 October resulted in a new truce, which established civilian protection commitments from Pakistan and the Taliban. The agreement included Pakistan's commitment to halt air attacks, while the Taliban promised to avoid backing groups that fight against Pakistan. It ended on 17 October when Pakistani airstrikes in Paktika province killed ten civilians, including local cricketers, which led the Afghanistan Cricket Board to leave the planned tri-series against Pakistan. 

During 25–27 October, there was a second round of talks between the two countries in Istanbul. During this period, the TTP fighters attempted to infiltrate Kurram and North Waziristan, resulting in the deaths of five Pakistani soldiers and 25 militants. The negotiations spanned 50 hours before they failed to produce any results. The Pakistani delegation accused Afghan representatives of failing to prove their efforts against TTP hideouts, while Afghan representatives stated Pakistan created hostility through its untrustworthy behaviour.

On 29 October, both sides confirmed that the Istanbul talks had failed. The border crossings at Torkham, Chaman, Ghulam Khan, Dand Patan, and Shahr Naw remained shut, blocking all trade activities and leaving numerous trucks without movement. Pakistan threatened the Taliban with deep strikes inside Afghanistan. On 30 October, according to news reports, both sides have agreed to give another chance to the talks.

On 30 October, an official statement from Turkey’s foreign ministry, which was mediating the negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, said, that both sides have agreed to continue the ceasefire.

Issues at large
First, the deteriorating Pakistan-Afghanistan relations since 2021. Ever since the Taliban returned to power, contrary to the expectations that the relationship would improve, it has started deteriorating. There were regular militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces that Pakistan blamed on Afghanistan. According to recent data by the Centre for Research and Security Studies, there were 46 per cent more terrorist attacks during the third quarter in 2025, making the year the deadliest since 2015 with 2,414 deaths. According to Kabul, there were 1,200 Pakistani border violations and 700 airspace intrusions.

Second, the diverging perspectives. Pakistan holds Kabul responsible for allowing TTP to operate from its territory while referencing the 2020 Doha Agreement, which states Afghan soil must not endanger other nations. Islamabad maintains that its cross-border military operations constitute a valid form of self-defence. The Taliban denies any support for militants while accusing Pakistan of conducting unlawful and random aerial attacks. The Taliban does not recognise the 2,640 km long Durand Line between the two countries.

Third, the limitations in mediation. The diplomatic efforts by Qatar and Turkey have not been successful. The Doha agreement established a brief ceasefire that could not be sustained. The Istanbul round attempted to create verification systems but failed when both sides started blaming each other. The Taliban insisted on stopping all airstrikes, while Pakistan required proof that the TTP had been completely neutralised, which created an unresolvable disagreement. 

Fourth, economic and humanitarian fallout. According to media reports, the closure of Torkham, Chaman, and other border crossings has blocked USD two billion worth of annual trade activities. According to the Federal Board of Revenue of Pakistan, the daily economic loss was between PKR 700-800 million. There has been a food price inflation and shortages of medicines and food shortages across Afghanistan. 

In perspective
First, a strategic shift in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. Pakistan’s airstrikes inside Afghanistan and the Taliban’s response mark a strategic shift in bilateral relations between the two countries. The clashes and the threats of further deep strikes by Pakistan underline the new approach in Islamabad towards Afghanistan. 

Second, the Taliban’s search for independence in foreign policy and emphasis on Afghan sovereignty. Taliban wants to emerge from Pakistan’s shadows; the diplomatic engagement with India and military response to Pakistan’s air strikes in early October underlines the point. 

Third, failed mediation reflects a lack of leverage. The negotiating teams did not possess the power to approve formal agreements because their governments used negotiations to deliver political statements instead of making concessions. 

About the author
Vani Vyshnavi Jupudi is an undergraduate student at CHRIST (Deemed to be University) BGR campus.

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