Pakistan PM says 'ball in Afghan Taliban's court' for permanent ceasefire

Pakistan PM says 'ball in Afghan Taliban's court' for permanent ceasefire

Pakistan's prime minister said on Thursday that "the ball is in the Afghan Taliban's court" for a permanent ceasefire, a day after a 48-hour truce was called in the wake of deadly cross-border clashes.

"If in 48 hours they want to resolve the issues and address our genuine demands, then we are ready for them," Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told his cabinet, reiterating that Pakistani Taliban militants should be eliminated and that Afghan territory not be used to plot attacks.

The remarks came a day after the 48-hour ceasefire was announced, following a week of violence along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier in which dozens of troops and civilians were killed on both sides.

Pakistan is facing a resurgence of attacks against its security forces on its western border with Afghanistan, led by the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) -- the Pakistani Taliban -- and its affiliates.

Islamabad has accused Kabul of harbouring militant groups led by the TTP on its soil, a claim Kabul denies.

Tensions spiked last week when explosions struck Afghan territory, including the capital, which Taliban officials blamed on Pakistan.

The blasts occurred while Afghanistan's foreign minister was on a rare diplomatic visit to India, Pakistan's eastern neighbour and longtime rival.

Afghan Taliban forces launched an offensive near the border in response, prompting Islamabad to vow a strong retaliation.

The temporary ceasefire, which came into effect at 6 pm Islamabad time (1300 GMT) on Wednesday, was aimed at halting the bloodshed and opening a window for talks.

Pakistan has repeatedly called on the Taliban to stop militant groups from using Afghan territory as a staging ground for cross-border attacks since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.