Pakistan says its ready for talks with Afghanistan, Kabul residents recall airstrike shock

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KABUL / ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that Islamabad was ready to hold talks with Afghanistan to resolve their conflict, as a temporary ceasefire that halted days of fierce fighting between the former allies largely held.

The South Asian neighbours engaged in ground fighting and Pakistan launched airstrikes across their contested frontier, killing dozens and wounding hundreds before agreeing to a 48-hour truce from 1300 GMT on Wednesday.

Sharif told his cabinet in Islamabad that Pakistan had retaliated as it ran out of patience with Afghanistan following a series of militant attacks.

BALL IN AFGHAN COURT, PAKISTAN PM SAYS

If they want to talk on our valid conditions and want to resolve through dialogue we are ready for that, Sharif said. This message has been given to them yesterday. Now the ball is in their court.

If this ceasefire is done just to buy time, we will not accept it, he added.

There was no immediate response to his remarks from Kabul, with Afghan defence ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khowarazmi saying only that the ceasefire was holding so far.

A statement from the Afghan Taliban Interior Ministry said Interior Minister Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani met senior Iranian officials and told them that Afghanistan seeks good relations with all countries, especially its neighbours.

Just as we respect the sovereignty and dignity of others, we expect the same goodwill and respect toward us, the statement quoted Haqqani as saying.

PAKISTAN SAYS IT KILLED MILITANTS

Although the neighbours have clashed in the past, the latest fighting is their worst in decades.

The recent friction between the Islamic countries erupted after Islamabad demanded that Kabul act