The success of a recent ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan hinges on the Afghan Taliban’s ability to curb militant activities along their shared border, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated on Monday. The agreement, brokered in Doha over the weekend, followed intense border clashes that resulted in numerous casualties, marking the worst violence since the Taliban’s rise to power in 2021. Asif emphasized that any breach of the accord, particularly incursions from Afghanistan, would render the ceasefire void. The minister accused the Pakistani Taliban, operating from Afghan soil, of collaborating with the ruling Afghan Taliban to launch attacks on Pakistan. Kabul, however, denies harboring militants and accuses Pakistan of sheltering Islamic State-linked groups to destabilize Afghanistan. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid reiterated Afghanistan’s commitment to preventing its territory from being used against other nations. The next round of talks, scheduled for October 25 in Istanbul, aims to establish mechanisms for enforcing the agreement. Qatar and Turkey, who mediated the initial talks, stressed the importance of follow-up meetings to ensure the ceasefire’s sustainability.