Taliban’s Deputy PM Wants Western Ambassadors to Visit Afghanistan, Reopen Embassies
Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, has invited Western ambassadors to travel to Afghanistan and assess the situation directly.
Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, has invited Western ambassadors to travel to Afghanistan and assess the situation directly.
Kabir also encouraged Western countries to reopen their embassies in Kabul, emphasising on the importance of addressing Afghan matters from within the country.
Kabir, who was in Qatar for the funeral of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas' Political Bureau, met with several Western ambassadors in Doha on Sunday evening.
According to a statement released by Hamidullah Fitrat, the Taliban's deputy spokesperson, the meeting included representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada, Italy, Australia, and South Korea.
The statement highlighted that Kabir assured the Western diplomats of the prevailing security and stability in Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban's rise to power in August 2021, Western embassies in Kabul have been closed, with their diplomatic functions typically being managed from Doha, Qatar. Taliban officials have consistently called for these embassies to be reopened in Kabul to facilitate direct engagement.
Hamidullah Fitrat, a Taliban spokesperson, announced that a committee has been established under the orders of the group's leader to address the concerns of residents in areas bordering Pakistan and other neighbouring countries.
Fitrat explained on Sunday that the committee's mandate includes providing essential services, as well as both religious and modern education, to the residents of these regions.
The committee is chaired by Noorullah Noori, the Taliban's Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, and comprises deputy directors from border provinces, district governors, and representatives from the Ministry of Defence in the border districts.
The Taliban's initiative aims to deliver not only basic services, but also telecommunications, infrastructure development, and access to clean drinking water for the border communities. The group's leadership has instructed the Taliban's Ministry of Finance to ensure the necessary funding is allocated for the committee's activities.
This committee's formation follows an earlier announcement from Pakistan during the Taliban's initial period in power, indicating an agreement to create a committee to address border issues.
Farhad Mahmoudi, head of projects at the Taliban's Ministry of Energy and Water, has announced that the ministry is close to reaching an agreement with the World Bank to start the CASA-1000 project.
The practical implementation of this project is expected to commence soon. Mahmoudi stated that the project could generate an annual revenue of $65 million for the Taliban administration.
During a presentation on Saturday of the ministry's annual achievements, Mahmoudi said, "We are in contact with the World Bank, agreements have been reached on their part, and [the project] will soon begin, with completion expected by 2026."
He emphasised that once the project is operational, the transit of electricity to Pakistan will generate $65 million annually.
Last year in March, the World Bank announced that construction on the CASA-1000 power transmission line would resume in Afghanistan, following requests from the participating countries, including Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan.
As per the World Bank's guidelines, all payments related to the construction of the CASA-1000 project will be managed outside of Afghanistan, bypassing the Taliban's administrative control.
Although the project faced delays after the Taliban's rise to power, the World Bank disclosed late last year that the available $110 million for the project would be utilised.
The CASA-1000 project is designed to transmit electricity from Central Asia to South Asia. It was officially inaugurated in 2016 in Tajikistan, with leaders from the region in attendance. The original completion date was set for March 2022.
The transmission line, with a capacity of 500 kilowatts, will traverse seven Afghan provinces before reaching Pakistan.
Additionally, Mahmoudi highlighted that the Taliban's Ministry of Energy is investing in natural and renewable energy production in Afghanistan's warmer regions, such as Farah and Paktika. He mentioned that three contracts have been signed with a private company, but he did not disclose further details about these projects or the contracting entity.
Shargh, a Tehran-based newspaper, has reported that Kobra Gholami, an Afghan social researcher, is poised to be handed over to the Taliban "within hours" following the cancellation of her passport and subsequent deportation from Iran.
The newspaper has expressed grave concerns for Gholami's safety, warning that her transfer to Taliban-controlled territory could jeopardise her life.
According to Shargh's report published on Saturday, Gholami possessed all necessary residency documents to remain in Iran legally. However, her passport was cancelled, and she was deported to Afghanistan without any formal legal proceedings.
Notably, Gholami was deported alone, separated from her family, marking this case as particularly unusual among the numerous Afghan deportations that have occurred over the past three years.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has expelled thousands of Afghan migrants during this period, including families and unaccompanied minors.
Shargh's report, citing social activists, noted that Gholami was not afforded the opportunity to bid farewell to her loved ones before her deportation.
Gholami, an Afghan-born social researcher who spent her life in Iran, faced deportation following a warning related to her hijab. Despite recent campaigns by Iranian civil activists to prevent her deportation, these efforts have so far proven ineffective.
Activists have voiced concerns that Gholami's deportation to Afghanistan places her in a dire situation, given the Taliban’s restrictive policies on women's rights, including education, employment, and social participation. There is also apprehension that she might face severe repercussions from the Taliban.
In related developments, there have been multiple reports of Afghan migrants being deported from Iran despite holding valid residency documents. Instances have surfaced where former Afghan government security personnel have been detained or killed by the Taliban after their return from Iran.
In recent reports, Gul Nabi and Pacha Gul, former local police officers from the previous Afghan government, were arrested by the Taliban in Laghman following their deportation from Iran.
Additionally, the Jamiat-e-Islami party of Afghanistan confirmed the killing of Ezzatullah, an anti-Taliban commander, in Sar-e Pul province a day after he was deported from Iran.
Sources from the Hazara community in Uruzgan province reported that under Taliban pressure, they have paid 15 million of the 30 million Afghanis demanded by the group members for settling a land dispute with Pashtuns.
Residents of Gizab district stated that the Taliban have warned them to pay the remaining 15 million Afghanis within two months or face forced eviction from the area.
According to the sources, the dispute involves approximately 700 acres of fertile land in the Kandir area of Gizab district. The Hazaras claim ownership of the land dating back to the era of Daoud Khan, a former President of Afghanistan. They assert that they have sufficient documentation to prove their ancestral ownership.
In contrast, Pashtuns and Kuchis contend that the land was entrusted to their ancestors by Mohammad Zahir Shah, with disputes over the territory existing even during the previous Taliban regime. The Hazaras argue that the Pashtuns have no evidence to substantiate their claims.
Sources revealed that after the Taliban's takeover in August 2021, Hazaras in the Kandir and Lower Shiobdon areas of Gizab were forcibly displaced. Following public outcry, the Taliban reportedly allowed the Hazaras to return to their homes but insisted that the land dispute be resolved through either the courts or a council of elders.
A decision document, viewed by Afghanistan International and issued in January last year, stated that the Shia community must pay 30 million Afghanis to the Pashtuns within seven months in exchange for the land.
Residents from Gizab claimed that this decision was imposed under Taliban pressure and called it "unfair”. They explained that they have lived in the area for over four decades and feel the Taliban are now "forcing" them to repurchase their land from the Pashtuns.
The Hazaras expressed their reluctance to pay for their own land but felt compelled to comply due to a lack of alternatives.
On July 31, the Hazaras in Gizab managed to pay 15 million Afghanis to the Pashtuns, stating that they struggled to gather the funds, relying on community support.
Images of the payment were shared with Afghanistan International.
The sources reported that the Taliban have now issued an ultimatum, demanding that the Hazaras pay the remaining 15 million Afghanis by October or face forced eviction from the area.
The Hazaras in Gizab stressed that, despite the difficulty of raising the required funds, they are trying to comply to avoid "forced displacement”.
Since the Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan, land disputes between the Taliban and local residents in Hazara-populated and northern regions have intensified.
The Human Rights Defenders Assembly has issued a warning regarding the destruction of cultural artefacts by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The Assembly has called on the international community to address this "cultural disaster" with urgency.
In a statement released on Friday, it highlighted that the dissolution of cultural institutions and the severe restrictions imposed by the Taliban have inflicted significant mental and psychological distress on cultural figures and artists. The statement emphasised that these measures have led to widespread depression among those affected.
The Assembly expressed deep concern about the dire economic and psychological conditions faced by displaced cultural figures in neighbouring countries. They reported that the systematic eradication of cultural artefacts and extensive restrictions on cultural figures are central to the Taliban's agenda.
The rich cultural heritage of Afghanistan, they warned, is at risk of being obliterated.
The Assembly pointed out that Kucha Kharabat, once a vibrant hub of classical music and ghazal singers in Kabul’s first district, has now become desolate.
The destruction extends to theatre buildings, cinemas, music venues, and art galleries. Additionally, the fine arts departments in universities and the National Institute of Music have been disbanded, and artistic groups have been dissolved.
The Human Rights Defenders Assembly has called for international cultural support institutions and organisations, including UNESCO, to intervene and address the catastrophic cultural situation in Afghanistan. They urged the member countries of the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council to activate "cultural diplomacy" to tackle this cultural crisis.
Since the Taliban's return to power, music has been banned, resulting in thousands of artists and singers losing their livelihoods and being forced to flee the country. Over the past three years, there have been numerous reports of violent encounters between the Taliban and music listeners, with several singers being beaten and musical instruments destroyed. According to the Taliban, music is prohibited under Sharia law.
The Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has issued directives to drivers, advising them to refrain from playing music.