Pakistan announces 5-day ceasefire in military operation against Afghanistan

The government of Pakistan has announced a temporary suspension of military operations against targets in Afghanistan during the Muslim holiday of Eid ul-Fitr.

In a statement posted on X, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said the pause in the ongoing “Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq” would take effect from midnight on March 18/19 until midnight on March 23/24, 2026, Caliber.Az reports.

TEMPORARY PAUSE IN OPERATION GHAZAB LIL HAQ
(18 Mar 26)

In view of the upcoming Islamic festival of Eid-ul-Fitr, upon its own initiative as well as on the request from the brotherly Islamic countries of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar and the Republic of Turkiye,…

— Attaullah Tarar (@TararAttaullah) March 18, 2026

Tarar said the decision was taken on Pakistan’s own initiative and also at the request of what he described as “brotherly Islamic countries,” including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye.

He said the suspension was being offered in good faith and in keeping with Islamic norms observed during Eid. However, he warned that the operation would immediately resume “with renewed intensity” in the event of any cross-border attack, drone strike or terrorist incident inside Pakistan.

By Sabina Mammadli