The head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars has issued a fatwa, a religious ruling, calling on the Taliban and Pakistan to declare a cease-fire during the final 10 days of Ramadan as their cross-border fighting enters its tenth day.
Ali Mohiuddin al-Qaradaghi, president of the Doha-based organization, said in a statement posted on the social platform X that the two sides should halt hostilities during the closing days of the holy month and resume negotiations after the Eid holiday.
He suggested that Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia could help mediate renewed talks between the Taliban and Pakistan.
In the statement, Qaradaghi cited verses from the Holy Quran and sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad, saying that Islam strongly condemns the killing of Muslims by other Muslims and describing such divisions as a serious violation of Islamic principles.
“I issue this fatwa calling for the immediate cessation of hostilities in this blessed month between two neighboring Muslim nations,” he wrote, adding that a cease-fire was both a religious duty and a practical necessity.
He said scholars affiliated with the organization would be willing to travel to Afghanistan and Pakistan to support mediation efforts.
The call comes as fighting between Taliban forces and Pakistani troops has escalated along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The clashes, which have included artillery fire, ground fighting and Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan, have now entered their tenth day.
Both sides have claimed heavy losses in the fighting, though the figures remain unverified.
Relations between Pakistan and the Taliban have deteriorated steadily since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, following the withdrawal of US-led forces.
Pakistan has said the Taliban are allowing TTP militants and other armed groups to operate from Afghanistan’s territory and carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Taliban officials have repeatedly denied those remarks.
Violence linked to militant groups has increased in Pakistan in recent months. Last month, a bombing at a mosque in Islamabad killed at least 31 people, highlighting the continuing security challenges faced by Pakistani authorities.
