Afghanistan’s Regional Cooperation Initiative To Begin Today, But With Delays
Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), controlled by Taliban, announced that “Afghanistan’s Regional Cooperation Initiative” meeting will be held at 4:30pm local time.
Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), controlled by Taliban, announced that “Afghanistan’s Regional Cooperation Initiative” meeting will be held at 4:30pm local time.
The meeting was scheduled to begin before noon on Monday, however, according to the RTA, it was delayed due to bad weather.
This is the first time that the Taliban is hosting a regional meeting in Kabul with the presence of ambassadors and special representatives of neighbouring countries and the region.
According to reports, ambassadors and special representatives from four regional countries will participate in this meeting.
This meeting will be held while the Secretary General of the United Nations is scheduled to host the second meeting on Afghanistan in Doha on 18 and 19 of February.
Noorullah Noori, Taliban’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, has said that there is no "official border" and "zero point" between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The Ministry of Borders and Tribes Affaires of the Taliban released a video in which Noori referred to the Durand as the "hypothetical line" between the two countries.
Noori visited the Torkham crossing along with Khalilur Rehman Haqqani, Taliban’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriations.
During this trip, he has said that there is no "official border" between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the Durand Line is hypothetical line. He said that sometimes problems happen between the Taliban and Pakistan along this line.
These statements can further fuel the disagreement and tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban.
The government of Pakistan acknowledges the Durand Line as an internationally recognised border between the two countries. However, many Afghan governments have referred to the Durand Line as a "hypothetical line" and have raised questions about the validity of the "official border" between the two nations.
During the past few decades, individuals residing on either side of the border could travel freely using Pakistani or Afghan identity cards. However, towards the end of last year, the Pakistani government implemented a new policy at all border crossings between the two countries, in addition to a decision to deport Afghan immigrants.
Islamabad now requires a visa and passport to pass through the crossings. The decision caused widespread protests to be held in the Chaman region of Baluchistan, Pakistan.
The protesters said that the government cannot separate the tribes and families on both sides of the border, but the government insists that travel between the two countries should be made legal and that the traditional customs of the past are no longer acceptable.
Mohammad Reza Bahrami, former Iranian envoy in Kabul, stated that given the diverse positions of various parties regarding Afghanistan in the forthcoming Doha meeting, the "most probable" option is the continuation of the current situation.
The Doha meeting is scheduled for February 18-19 and will be hosted by the Secretary General of the United Nations.
In an article on the "Khabar Online" website, Bahrami writing about the upcoming meeting in Doha, stated that the existing conditions in Afghanistan will persist. He emphasised that the country must align its course with other significant current events and crises.
Bahrami has said that the primary purpose of the Doha meeting is the completion and finalisation of the third and fourth components of the Doha agreement between the US and the Taliban. These components prioritise the initiation of intra-Afghan dialogue and the consensus on the future political roadmap for Afghanistan.
He indicated that, as per the report from Feridun Sinirlioglu, the UN special coordinator, the agenda for the upcoming Doha meeting encompasses four fundamental issues. These include the designation of a special representative of the United Nations, the establishment of a contact group involving diverse countries, the facilitation of communication between the Taliban and their opposition groups, and the "arrangement of incentives to be provided to the Taliban if they engage in this process”.
Nevertheless, the former Iranian diplomat stated that the appointment of a special representative would be futile without the companionship of the Taliban. He noted that, as of now, Kandahar has not granted approval for this meeting.
Bahrami is referring to the remarks of the Taliban's foreign minister, who expressed reservations, stating that he does not deem the appointment of a new UN representative for Afghanistan as "appropriate" given the current situation and the existence of UNAMA.
During the upcoming UN meeting in Doha, decisions will be reached regarding the proposals outlined in the UN special coordinator's report on Afghanistan affairs.
This meeting will bring together special representatives for Afghanistan from various countries.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) called the suspension of "Nai", an organisation supporting open media in Afghanistan, as a “significant loss" for the Afghan media community.
AFJC reported that the Taliban had implemented significant restrictions affecting the organisation’s ability to carry out its work.
Nai had announced that it has temporarily stopped its activities in Afghanistan.
Ahmad Quraishi, director of the AFJC, said that NAI has a long history of supporting journalists and promoting free media in Afghanistan.
“We look forward to the swift resumption of Nai's vital work and trust that the necessary conditions will be established to allow this organisation, alongside other entities working towards the same goal, to continue supporting journalists and fostering a free media in Afghanistan,” said Quraishi.
AFJC reported that over the past 18 years, Nai has collaborated with the backing of various international institutions to aid journalists and promote free media. Their efforts have particularly been focused on training journalists and providing legal assistance to the media community.
It added that the senior officials of this organisation were forced to leave Afghanistan following the takeover of the Taliban.
On January 25, Mujeeb Khelwatgar, executive director of Nai announced the temporary suspension of organisation, saying that once the conditions of the institution improve, it can resume its activities in the future.
He mentioned that he will provide further details regarding the reasons for the temporary suspension of Nai's activities at a later time.
The National Resistance Front (NRF) announced that it has killed at least three Taliban members and wounded five others in two separate attacks in Parwan and Kapisa provinces.
So far, the Taliban has not commented in this regard.
The front has also shared videos with the media showing the front’s guerrillas launching rockets at targets in Parwan and Kapisa.
In a statement released on Friday, the front stated that it successfully targeted a Taliban base in Bagram district of Parwan province. The operation resulted in the death of two Taliban members, with three others sustaining injuries.
It also added that in a separate operation, its guerrilla forces attacked a Taliban base in the capital of Kapisa province, after which one Taliban member was killed and two got injured.
The front stated that their forces weren’t harmed in these operations.
Hanif Atmar, former Afghan Foreign Minister, criticised Pakistan's Army Chief's statement that one Pakistani life is more important than the entirety of Afghanistan, terming it as irresponsible and deeply concerning.
Rahmatullah Nabil, former intelligence chief of Afghanistan, identified Pakistan as Afghanistan's "historic enemy," stating that General Asim Munir's remarks reflect Islamabad's long-term policy towards Afghanistan.
In a gathering with students, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff declared, "The life of one Pakistani is more important than the whole of Afghanistan." This statement has sparked widespread criticism from Afghan political figures and the general public on social media. However, there has been no official response from the Taliban.
Atmar, in his reaction, stressed that given the Army Chief's significant influence in Pakistan's internal and foreign policies, his comments should be a serious concern for Afghanistan, its neighbours, and the international community. Atmar interpreted Munir's remarks as a combination of covert and overt threats and an overt incitement of anti-Afghan sentiments among Pakistanis.
Atmar labelled parts of Munir's speech as deceitful and dangerous, particularly the accusation that Afghanistan has long supported the insurgency in Balochistan and has never been friendly towards Pakistan. He refuted these claims, stating that the Afghan people have never intended to harm Pakistan and have always been deeply grateful for the support of Pakistani people during their displacement.
He warned of the significant implications these statements could have on Afghanistan-Pakistan relations and the broader regional context.
Rahmatullah Nabil, responding to Munir's comments, indicated that these remarks are not new and represent Pakistan's long-standing approach towards Afghanistan, portraying Pakistan as a 'historic enemy' always trying to destabilise Afghan governments and society.
Masoom Stanekzai, the former chief peace negotiator for the Afghan government, also reacted, recalling his 2018 conversation with Munir in London. He urged Munir to fundamentally change Pakistan's outlook towards Afghanistan, warning of the eventual repercussions of their policies.
Asim Munir's address to Pakistani students included claims that Pakistan has provided sustenance to five million Afghan citizens since the last fifty years and that the Pakistani Army would target anyone threatening Pakistan's citizens. He also accused Afghanistan of supporting the Balochistan insurgency and never being a friendly neighbour to Pakistan.
These remarks from Pakistan's Army Chief underscore the deep-seated dissatisfaction among Pakistani officials with the Taliban. The relationship between Islamabad and the Taliban-controlled Kabul has worsened due to increasing insecurities in Pakistan since the Taliban's ascent. Pakistani authorities blame the Taliban for providing safe havens to anti-Taliban militants like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allege their involvement in recent attacks against Pakistani forces. However, Taliban spokespersons have consistently refuted these claims, accusing Islamabad of projecting its security failures onto the Taliban.