PM says ready for talks if Kabul agrees to Pakistan's conditions

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz 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.

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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.

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

"If they want to talk on our valid conditions and want to resolve through dialogue we are ready for that," Shahbaz said. "This message has been given to them yesterday. Now the ball is in Afghan Taliban's court for permanent ceasefire." "If this ceasefire is done just to buy time, we will not accept it," he added.

Shahbaz said Pakistan had made repeated efforts to convince Afghan authorities that the millions of Afghans living across the border were "our brothers and sisters" and that both countries shared deep historical, cultural, and religious ties.

"Pakistan and Afghanistan share a long common border. Despite our limited resources, we have hosted Afghan refugees for decades, maintaining the bond of brotherhood," said Shahbaz.