Afghanistan calls out Pakistan’s ‘classified’ claim on ceasefire, says no secret terms beyond public disclosure

Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi (C) arrives for a press conference at the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi on October 12, 2025. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)

Afghanistan’s Ministry of National Defence has issued a formal clarification regarding the recently signed ceasefire agreement with Pakistan, emphasizing that the accord contains no provisions beyond what was already disclosed by Islamic Emirate Defence Minister Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid during his briefing with journalists.

According to a statement released by the ministry and reported by Tolo News, the agreement focuses solely on peace and restraint between the two countries. “Islamic Emirate's Defense Minister has provided a comprehensive explanation during a press conference, concerning the agreement with Pakistan; no further information exists beyond that,” the ministry said in a post on X.

The clarification reiterates that the agreement “completely emphasizes ceasefire, mutual respect, the avoidance of attacks on each other's security forces, civilians, and facilities, the resolution of all matters through dialogue, and not facilitating attacks against one another.” It added, “Any statements beyond these terms are invalid.”

This comes after Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif had claimed earlier that the details of the ceasefire were “classified,” a statement now contradicted by Kabul’s public disclosure.

The Afghan spokesperson, in a separate announcement on Sunday, confirmed that a comprehensive ceasefire had been mutually agreed upon between the two sides in Qatar, with Qatar and Turkiye playing key mediating roles. “Both sides reaffirm their commitment to peace, mutual respect, and the maintenance of strong and constructive neighborly relations. Both sides are committed to resolving issues and disputes through dialogue,” the spokesperson said.

Under the terms of the agreement, neither Pakistan nor Afghanistan will undertake hostile actions against the other or support groups attacking the Government of Pakistan. Both countries also agreed to refrain from targeting each other’s security forces, civilians, or critical infrastructure.

For effective implementation, the spokesperson noted that a joint mechanism would be established in coordination with intermediary countries to review bilateral concerns.

The ceasefire follows days of deadly border clashes. On Friday, Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s southeastern Paktika province killed 17 people, including three Afghan cricketers. According to Tolo News, the strikes hit residential areas in the Argun and Barmal districts, causing significant civilian casualties and underscoring the urgency of sustaining the newly agreed truce.