Pakistan and Afghanistan agree to temporary Eid al-Fitr ‘pause’ in conflict

                                                                            Following mediation efforts by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye, Pakistan and Afghanistan have declared a temporary cessation of hostilities for the Eid al-Fitr holiday. This brief truce, scheduled from late Wednesday GMT through Monday GMT, includes a clear warning from Pakistan that military operations will immediately restart if any cross-border attacks or terrorist incidents occur. The agreement offers a short reprieve amid weeks of heightened border violence, which has seen both nations accusing each other of deadly cross-border attacks. It marks a moment of de-escalation in what has been described as the most severe fighting between the two neighboring countries in years, prompting international calls for peace and raising humanitarian concerns.