Doha: Pakistan and Afghanistan's Taliban government have agreed to an "immediate ceasefire" after more than a week of deadly fighting.

According to BBC, the foreign ministry of Qatar, which mediated talks alongside Turkey, stated that both sides had agreed to establish "mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability."

Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, emphasized that ending "hostile actions" was "important," while Pakistan's foreign minister described the agreement as the "first step in the right direction." Speculations had arisen that the blasts in Kabul were a targeted attack on Noor Wali Mehsud, the leader of Pakistan's Taliban. In response, the group released an unverified voice note from Mehsud confirming he was still alive.

In the days following the attack, Afghan troops fired on Pakistani border posts, prompting Pakistan to retaliate with mortar fire and drone strikes. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan reported that at least 17 Afghan civilians were killed and hundreds more wounded. Although a temporary truce was declared on Wednesday night as delegations convened in Doha, cross-border strikes persisted.

On Friday, the Taliban reported that Pakistan had conducted an air strike, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals, including three local cricket players. Under the newly established agreement, the Taliban committed not to "support groups carrying out attacks against the Government of Pakistan," and both parties agreed to refrain from targeting each other's security forces, civilians, or critical infrastructure.

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif remarked that the latest ceasefire signifies that "terrorism from Afghanistan on Pakistan's soil will be stopped immediately," with further discussions planned in Istanbul next week. Historically, Pakistan was a significant supporter of the Taliban following its ouster in 2001 after a US-led invasion. However, relations have deteriorated as Islamabad accused the group of providing a safe haven to the Pakistan Taliban, which has initiated an armed insurgence against government forces.

The Pakistan Taliban has reportedly executed at least 600 attacks on Pakistani forces over the past year, as documented by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.