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Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared on Thursday that the responsibility for establishing a permanent ceasefire now lies with the Afghan Taliban, following a temporary 48-hour truce aimed at de-escalating recent cross-border violence. Sharif emphasized that Pakistan is prepared to engage in dialogue if the Taliban addresses Islamabad’s concerns within the stipulated timeframe. He reiterated Pakistan’s demand for the elimination of Pakistani Taliban militants and stressed that Afghan territory must not be used as a base for planning attacks against Pakistan. The temporary ceasefire, which began at 6 pm Islamabad time on Wednesday, was implemented after a week of intense clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, resulting in significant casualties on both sides. Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of harboring the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) and its affiliates, a claim Kabul denies. Tensions escalated further last week when explosions rocked Afghan territory, including the capital, with Taliban officials blaming Pakistan for the attacks. The violence coincided with a rare diplomatic visit by Afghanistan’s foreign minister to India, Pakistan’s regional rival. In response to the border skirmishes, Afghan Taliban forces launched an offensive, prompting Pakistan to vow retaliation. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban to prevent militant groups from using Afghan soil for cross-border attacks since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

As a fragile ceasefire takes hold in Gaza, displaced residents are returning to their homes only to find them obliterated. The streets of Gaza City, once bustling with life, are now eerily empty, lined with heaps of concrete that were once apartment buildings. Many structures have completely collapsed, leaving families to confront the harsh reality of their losses. Amid the ruins, individuals like Hossam Majed, 31, are salvaging what little remains of their belongings, including essential items like a large water tank. Majed has set up a makeshift shelter to guard his possessions from potential thieves, but the challenges are immense. ‘Even food is more expensive than in the south because it’s scarce. There’s no electricity, no water, no internet,’ he lamented. Umm Rami Lubbad, who fled to southern Gaza for safety, returned to find her home reduced to rubble. ‘My heart nearly stopped when I saw the house reduced to rubble,’ she said. Now, she and her children are effectively homeless, sleeping in the streets or relying on neighbors for shelter during artillery shelling. Ahmad al-Abbasi, who fled south during the bombings, returned to find his five-storey building completely destroyed. ‘We came back north hoping to find our homes and rebuild our lives. As you can see… Gaza has turned into a ghost town,’ he said. Mustafa Mahram, another resident, found his three-storey house reduced to ashes. ‘Everything’s gone, turned to ashes… There’s no way to live here,’ he lamented. The residents are now struggling to rebuild their lives with limited resources, hoping for aid and the eventual delivery of tents to provide some semblance of shelter.

A 48-hour ceasefire between the Taliban administration and Pakistan has brought a temporary lull to one of the world’s most volatile borders, the 2,640-kilometre Durand Line. While the truce offers a brief respite from the intense fighting that has claimed dozens of lives on both sides, it is widely seen as a fragile pause rather than a step toward lasting peace. Witnesses describe the recent violence as unprecedented, with skirmishes escalating into full-scale warfare. The conflict underscores deeper systemic issues, particularly the resurgence of militancy in Pakistan, which analysts link to the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Pakistan now faces a security nightmare, with the Taliban accused of sheltering the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned militant group responsible for hundreds of attacks. The Global Terrorism Index ranks Pakistan as the world’s second most terrorism-affected country, highlighting the severity of the crisis. The Taliban’s victory has emboldened various militant groups, including the TTP, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), and Baloch separatists, leading to a surge in terrorist attacks. Despite Pakistan’s military campaigns and diplomatic efforts, the situation remains dire. The Taliban administration faces a policy dilemma: curbing the TTP risks internal dissent, while inaction fuels cross-border violence. Pakistan has shifted from cautious diplomacy to coercive measures, including air strikes in Afghanistan and the expulsion of undocumented Afghans. The ceasefire, brokered by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, offers a temporary reprieve, but analysts warn that without structural changes, the border will remain a powder keg. The fall of Kabul in 2021, once celebrated in Pakistan as a strategic victory, has become the source of its most complex security crisis in decades.

In a significant development, Cambodia’s National Police announced on Thursday that 59 South Korean nationals, including four women, will be repatriated to their home country on Friday. According to an official press release, these individuals were either rescued by Cambodian authorities or detained for involvement in various criminal activities. The repatriation process is being coordinated in collaboration with the South Korean Embassy in Cambodia. This move comes amidst reports from South Korean media, citing the South Korean Foreign Ministry, which indicated that approximately 80 South Korean nationals in Cambodia remained unaccounted for as of August. The Cambodian authorities have confirmed that they are actively conducting search and investigation operations to locate these missing individuals. This repatriation highlights the ongoing efforts by both nations to address issues of safety and legal compliance among their citizens abroad.