Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday declared that “the ball is in the Afghan Taliban’s court” regarding a permanent ceasefire, a day after both countries agreed to a temporary 48-hour truce. His statement followed escalating border clashes that left scores of civilians and troops dead, reigniting tensions between Islamabad and Kabul for the second time in a week.

Sharif said Pakistan was ready to cooperate if Afghanistan demonstrated a genuine willingness to resolve the issue within 48 hours. He reiterated that Afghan soil must not be used for launching attacks against Pakistan and that Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants should be eliminated. “If Afghanistan wants to resolve the issue and address Pakistan’s demands in 48 hours, then we are ready,” he said, urging Kabul to ensure its territory is not a haven for insurgents.

The latest clashes erupted overnight in the Spin Boldak region of Kandahar, killing at least 17 people and injuring over 300, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. The violence marked a sharp escalation in hostilities, prompting urgent talks between the two sides and calls for restraint from international observers.

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Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of harboring TTP militants who plot attacks from across the border, an allegation the Taliban government denies. Pakistani officials confirmed that no fresh violence was reported overnight and that additional paramilitary forces have been deployed along vulnerable stretches of the frontier to maintain calm during the truce.

Meanwhile, a Pakistani foreign ministry statement said Kabul had requested the 48-hour ceasefire, while Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed the truce was implemented “at the insistence of the Pakistani side.” With both nations blaming each other for the latest outbreak, uncertainty looms over whether the fragile calm can hold beyond the temporary ceasefire period.

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