Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire during talks hosted by Doha, Qatar’s foreign ministry announced early on Sunday, after the South Asia neighbours extended a ceasefire following a week of fierce border clashes.

Qatar’s foreign ministry said Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to the ceasefire during a round of negotiations mediated by Qatar and Turkey on Saturday.

It said they also agreed to hold follow-up meetings in the coming days “to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire and verify its implementation in a reliable and sustainable manner”.

“A ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been finalised. The terrorism from Afghanistan on Pakistan’s soil will be stopped immediately. Both neighbouring countries will respect each other’s territory. Alhamdulillah,” Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif announced on his X timeline.

Khawaja Asif had travelled to Doha on Saturday, leading a high-level delegation to hold discussions with representatives of the Afghan Taliban, which focused on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border.

“The Afghan regime must rein in the proxies who have sanctuaries in Afghanistan and are using Afghan soil to perpetrate heinous attacks inside Pakistan,” the Pakistan Army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, said on Saturday, addressing a graduation ceremony of cadets.