Afghanistan and Pakistan, embroiled in more than a week of fighting that has killed dozens of people and injured hundreds, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
The violence constitutes the deadliest crisis between the two countries in several years. The two sides agreed to establish mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability, and to hold follow-up talks in the coming days to ensure the sustainability of the truce, the Qatari statement said. Qatar and Turkey mediated the negotiations, it added.
Delegations from the two countries arrived in Doha for talks on Saturday after air strikes and days of clashes fuelled fears of a burgeoning regional war. More than a dozen people have been killed and hundreds wounded on both sides in the latest wave of fighting between the neighbours.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harbouring militants who carry out attacks in border areas, notably the Pakistani Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban. The charge is rejected by Kabul. The Pakistani Taliban is ideologically aligned with Afghanistan's ruling Taliban, but a separate entity.
On Friday, a suicide attack near the border killed seven Pakistani soldiers and wounded 13 more, security officials said. Pakistan attacked sites in Afghanistan, killing at least 10 people, including civilians, after an initial 48-hour ceasefire expired. The truce was then extended for the Doha talks.
On Sunday, the Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, confirmed that both countries had signed a ceasefire agreement.
“It has been decided that neither country will undertake any hostile actions against the other, nor will they support groups carrying out attacks against Pakistan. Both sides will refrain from targeting each other’s security forces, civilians or critical infrastructure,” he said.
A mechanism will be established in the future “under the mediation of intermediary countries” to ensure the effective implementation of the agreement, he added.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif posted confirmation of the deal on X.
“Cross-border terrorism from Afghan territory will cease immediately,” he wrote. “Both countries will respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. A follow-up meeting between the delegations is scheduled to take place in Istanbul on October 25 to discuss the matters in detail.”
Both countries thanked Qatar and Turkey for their role in assisting the talks.
Fierce ground fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as Pakistani air strikes across their contested 2,600km frontier began after Islamabad demanded that Kabul rein in militants who had increased attacks inside Pakistan, saying they operated from havens in Afghanistan. The administration in Kabul denies this and has accused Pakistan of spreading misinformation.
The Afghan delegation in Doha included the defence minister and head of the national intelligence agency, the ruling Taliban said. Pakistan sent its defence minister and intelligence chief.
Pakistan said before the talks that they would focus on “immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the border”.
Regional powers including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar had called for de-escalation, as the violence threatens to destabilise a region where ISIS and Al Qaeda are among the groups trying to resurface.
Mr Asif had accused Kabul of acting as "a proxy of India" and "plotting" against Islamabad.
Afghanistan's cricket team withdrew from a T20 tri-series, scheduled to take place in Pakistan in November, following the escalating tensions.
Deadly border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan – in pictures
Pakistan is grappling with surging militancy, especially in areas bordering Afghanistan. It also accuses its nuclear-armed neighbour and biggest rival India of backing armed groups, without providing any evidence.
Its army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has urged Afghans to choose “mutual security over perpetual violence and progress over hardline obscurantism”.
“The Taliban must rein in the proxies who have sanctuaries in Afghanistan,” he told an audience on Saturday at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Profile Periscope Media
Founder: Smeetha Ghosh, one co-founder (anonymous)
Launch year: 2020
Employees: four – plans to add another 10 by July 2021
Financing stage: $250,000 bootstrap funding, approaching VC firms this year
Investors: Co-founders
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
Price, base / as tested: Dh76,900 / Dh110,900
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: Torque: 352Nm @ 2,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.5L / 100km
More coverage from the Future Forum
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
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Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
