ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia welcomed the announcement of a temporary truce between Pakistan and Afghanistan ahead of the Eid Al-Fitr festival on Thursday, the Kingdom’s foreign office said, reaffirming its commitment to continue diplomatic efforts to pursue peace in the region.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on Wednesday that Islamabad had decided to implement a “temporary pause” in its military operation against Afghanistan ahead of Eid Al-Fitr, calling its gesture in line with Islamic norms while warning of a forceful response to any cross-border attacks. He said the decision had also been taken after requests from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Qatar.
He said the pause in fighting would be implemented from midnight Mar. 18-19, 2026, to midnight Mar. 23-24, 2026. Separately, Afghanistan’s Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani signaled a preference for de-escalation, saying Kabul wanted to resolve the crisis through talks.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s welcome of the announcement of a temporary truce between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Afghanistan on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr,” the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.
