MALAYSIA’S Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has welcomed a temporary ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan announced in conjunction with Aidilfitri, urging all parties to build on the pause and pursue lasting peace through continued de-escalation.
The message was conveyed during a telephone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif while Anwar was returning from a one-day working visit to Penang.
“At the same time, Malaysia also voiced concern over tensions in the Middle East involving Iran, and stressed the urgent need to halt escalation and prioritise dialogue,” he said in a Facebook post.
Anwar also extended Aidilfitri greetings to Shehbaz and reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening close ties and strategic cooperation between the two countries.
The temporary ceasefire was announced by Pakistan following requests from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, with military operations in Afghan territory suspended for the festive period.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a statement that the truce began at midnight on Wednesday and will remain in effect until midnight on Monday.
In a parallel statement, Shehbaz said both leaders had discussed the evolving situation in Iran and the wider Gulf region, agreeing on the need for urgent de-escalation.
“We discussed the evolving situation in Iran and the Gulf region, and agreed on the urgent need to ease tensions and continue joint efforts to promote peace through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said in a post on X.
He added that both sides expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum in bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening longstanding ties.
“We also expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum in Pakistan-Malaysia relations and reaffirmed our shared commitment to further strengthening our fraternal ties,” he said. - March 21, 2026
