The Taliban’s Defense Ministry said there are no provisions in its recent ceasefire agreement with Pakistan beyond what has already been publicly disclosed, pushing back against suggestions that the deal includes confidential or undisclosed elements.
The statement, released Wednesday, appeared to indirectly respond to recent remarks by Pakistan’s defense minister, who described the agreement as “confidential” during a television interview.
“In the text of the agreement, issues such as a cease-fire, mutual respect, refraining from attacks on each other’s security forces, civilians and infrastructure, resolving all matters through dialogue, and not supporting attacks against one another are clearly stated,” the Taliban Defense Ministry said. “Any claims beyond these points do not reflect reality.”
Taliban Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid had previously told reporters in an online briefing that the Durand Line — the disputed border between Afghanistan and Pakistan — was not discussed in the agreement.
The Taliban’s statement came in response to mounting public criticism in Afghanistan following Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif’s remarks. Political figures and civil society activists in Afghanistan have called on the Taliban to release the full text of the agreement, arguing that the public has a right to know what has been negotiated on their behalf.
The ceasefire deal was reached earlier this month following several days of border clashes between Taliban and Pakistani forces. The fighting caused casualties on both sides and led to the closure of key crossings, including the Torkham border post.
Relations between the Taliban and Islamabad have been increasingly strained in recent months. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of sheltering fighters from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a claim the Taliban deny. However, a recent United Nations monitoring report stated that the TTP maintains an estimated 6,000 fighters inside Afghanistan.
The agreement was mediated by Qatar and Turkey.
