Pakistan on Thursday resumed attacks on Afghanistan following a brief pause, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said, dashing hopes for a permanent ceasefire that had emerged during the festival of Eid al-Fitr. At least two civilians were killed, and several others were injured.

Ziaur Rahman Speenghar, a director at the information and culture department in Afghanistan's Kunar province, said that Pakistani forces fired dozens of artillery shells into Narai and Sarkano districts after the ceasefire expired, killing two civilians and injuring eight others, news agency AFP reported.

He further said Afghan border forces retaliated, claiming that they destroyed three Pakistani military posts and killed one person, though these claims have not been independently verified. At the same time, a Pakistani official in the northwest accused Afghan forces of starting the exchanges of fire across multiple locations.

'Temporary Pause' Between Pakistan And Afghanistan Ends

Earlier last week, Pakistan and Afghanistan had announced a 'temporary pause' in hostilities o mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramzan, following requests from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey.

Speaking at a briefing, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, said that the 'temporary pause' concluded between March 23 and 24. He added that Pakistan's military operations would continue until objectives are achieved and until the Afghan Taliban regime reassess what he called their 'misplaced priority of supporting terrorist infrastructures.'

Airstrike Escalates Tensions Between Pakistan And Afghanistan

The 'temporary pause' came after Pakistani strikes that the Afghan Taliban government said targeted a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, killing over 400 people. Pakistan rejected the Taliban's claims, stating that it had 'precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure'.

The airstrike marked a significant escalation in long-standing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which have witnessed cross-border shelling, retaliatory air operations, and mutual accusations over militant sanctuaries since the conflict intensified in late 2025.

Pakistan Positions Itself As Potential Host For US-Iran Peace Talks

The attacks come against the backdrop of Pakistan's efforts to position itself as a potential host for peace talks between the United States and Iran. US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said that Pakistan has been acting as a mediator between Washington and Tehran to end the ongoing West Asia conflict.