In an effort to ease escalating border tensions, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Taliban’s Minister of Defense, and Abdul Haq Wasiq, the Director General of Afghanistan’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), traveled to Doha, Qatar, on Saturday to meet with a Pakistani delegation for discussions on achieving a permanent ceasefire and reducing cross-border violence, AnsarPress reported.

The news was first announced by Bakhtar News Agency, which is controlled by the Taliban, and later confirmed by Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s chief spokesperson.

These talks come in the wake of Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border regions, including Paktika Province, which, according to local sources, killed several civilians — among them players from a local cricket team. Meanwhile, Pakistani media, including the Dawn newspaper, reported that both sides are expected to discuss establishing a lasting ceasefire during the Doha meetings.

International organizations, including the United Nations, have expressed grave concern over the mounting civilian casualties resulting from recent cross-border hostilities.

Analysts view the Doha negotiations as an attempt by the Taliban to manage an external crisis at a time when their domestic and international legitimacy is eroding. Qatar’s role as the host and mediator once again underscores its position as a key regional diplomatic broker.

On the other hand, Pakistan, by pursuing a diplomatic channel, appears to be moderating its earlier aggressive approach. However, observers caution that the success of these talks will depend on Islamabad’s ability to address its long-standing structural challenge — namely, the failure to distinguish between “terrorists” and “armed opposition groups” operating along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border.

The Doha meeting thus represents both an urgent de-escalation effort and a test of political will on both sides to prevent the region from sliding further into a cycle of violence and retaliation.