Kabul, May 1 (IANS) As accusations mount on both sides, the ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan amid escalating tensions appears increasingly unstable. In the absence of a credible mechanism to address incidents and militant activity on both sides of the Durand Line, analysts warn that the region risks entering a prolonged phase of instability with civilians bearing the heaviest burden, a report said on Friday.

Writing for the ‘Afghan Diaspora Network’, S S Ahmad, a Kabul-based freelance researcher and journalist, said that civilians bore the initial impact when Pakistani forces carried out late April strikes in Afghanistan targetting homes, public facilities, and parts of Kunar University in one of the most serious escalations since the March ceasefire.

Citing Afghan officials, he said that the attacks struck residential areas, a fuel station, a drug rehabilitation centre, and a student hostel on the university campus, killing four civilians and injuring more than 70, including women, children, and students.

“The Taliban condemned the attack as ‘unforgivable war crimes’, accusing Pakistan of deliberately targetting civilian sites. Pakistan denied the allegations, insisting its forces did not strike the university and were responding to militant threats along the Durand Line,” Ahmad noted.

He stated that the tensions followed a shooting near Spin Boldak, Kandahar province of Afghanistan, that killed a child, with both sides blaming each other for the incident. The timing and scale of Pakistan’s response, he said, have raised concerns that the March ceasefire brokered by China, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia is now under serious strain.

Highlighting the severe humanitarian impact across Afghanistan, Ahmad said, “More than 100,000 people have been displaced in eastern Afghanistan since February. Schools, clinics, and water systems have been damaged or closed. Nineteen health facilities in Kunar and Nangarhar are now partially or fully non-functional. Over 13,000 students face disruptions after educational institutions were hit or evacuated.”

“Regional actors who helped broker the March truce are watching closely. China, in particular, has invested diplomatic capital in stabilising the security along the Durand Line. Analysts warn that continued hostilities could undermine regional connectivity projects and complicate counterterrorism cooperation,” he added.

Ahmad stressed that the strikes deepen Afghanistan’s isolation while subjecting civilians to another cycle of violence in a conflict that has outlasted governments and alliances and political eras.

–IANS

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