Taliban Interior Minister Could Join Vienna Process, Says Hazara Leader

Massouda Jalal stated that they will continue their fight to defend the rights of Afghan women and girls.

The 17th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy commenced on Tuesday, February 18, in Switzerland, with an opening speech by Hillel Neuer, the Executive Director of UN Watch. The summit focuses on human rights violations in various countries, particularly Afghanistan, Iran, and Russia.

During this conference, Massouda Jalal and her daughter Husna Jalal will be honoured with the International Women’s Rights Award. Expressing her gratitude, Massouda Jalal said that this award belongs to all Afghan women who continue their struggle.

She further emphasised that leaving Afghanistan does not mean surrendering. She added that she remains committed to advocating for women’s rights despite being in exile.

The letter, dated 5 April 2024, was sent by Sardar Ahmad Shakib to the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and highlights the diplomatic tensions and challenges in Pakistan-Taliban relations.

Shakib stated that Pakistan is convinced that American weapons have been used in attacks originating from Afghanistan, further straining relations between the two countries. The document also outlines ongoing diplomatic disputes, particularly Pakistan’s alleged violations of Afghan airspace and its reported facilitation of U.S. reconnaissance flights over Afghanistan.

According to the letter, Pakistan has intensified its claims regarding the presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in Afghanistan, alleging that the Taliban administration provides moral support to the group. Pakistani officials reportedly believe that senior TTP leaders have established safe havens in Afghan territory.

The leaked document further indicates Pakistan’s growing dissatisfaction with improving Taliban-India relations, warning that direct engagement between the Taliban and New Delhi could diminish Pakistan’s influence in Afghanistan, leading to further deterioration in ties between Islamabad and the Taliban administration.

The report also sheds light on the politicisation of trade relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It states that trade and economic exchanges between the two countries have been disrupted due to the lack of a modern legal framework, causing financial strain on Afghan traders. The document asserts that this politicisation has led to increased costs, including higher taxes, import restrictions, and rising transportation expenses.

The letter emphasises that resolving border violations and diplomatic tensions requires sustained engagement and mutual cooperation from both sides. In his communication with the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shakib urged the Taliban leadership to engage constructively with Pakistan to address ongoing disputes and stabilise bilateral relations.

Otunbayeva made the remarks during a meeting with representatives of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Kabul, where she highlighted the severe consequences of ongoing restrictions on women’s education, employment, and access to healthcare.

On Tuesday, 20 February, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Otunbayeva reiterated that the Taliban’s policies are causing long-term damage to Afghan society. She stressed that women’s and girls’ rights must be prioritised and noted that her discussions with OIC representatives were both constructive and critical in addressing these concerns.

Her remarks were made during the “Workshop on Dissemination of the Jeddah Declaration”, held at the OIC office in Kabul on 17–18 February.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also issued a statement regarding Otunbayeva’s meeting with Tariq Ali Bakhit, the OIC representative in Afghanistan.

According to the statement, the two officials discussed joint cooperation between the UN and OIC in supporting Afghanistan’s people and tackling political, humanitarian, and security challenges.

Over the past three years, the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education beyond sixth grade has left 1.4 million female students unable to continue their studies. Women have also been barred from working in NGOs and pursuing higher education.

Despite international and domestic pressure, the Taliban maintain that the "Islamic conditions" in Afghanistan are not yet suitable for girls’ education.

The UN, OIC, and other international organisations continue to call for immediate action to restore Afghan women’s fundamental rights, which remain among the most severely restricted in the world.

Among the notable attendees are Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front (NRF), Yasin Zia, leader of the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), and Rangin Dadfar Spanta, former National Security Advisor of Afghanistan.

The two-day conference aims to foster political unity among Afghanistan's political, civil, and military movements. Since the fall of the previous Afghan government, the Vienna Process has emerged as one of the most significant platforms uniting opposition groups against the Taliban.

Organisers emphasised that the fifth round of conference provides an open political space where participants will transparently discuss solutions to Afghanistan’s ongoing crisis.

Ali Maisam Nazary, head of foreign relations for the NRF, wrote on X that the conference includes representatives from diverse political, ethnic, and religious backgrounds.

The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) issued a statement welcoming political initiatives aimed at strengthening political groups, military fronts, women’s movements, and civil resistance efforts. The statement underlined the need for a comprehensive struggle to overthrow the Taliban regime and eradicate terrorism, extremism, and Taliban-led violence.

According to the agenda obtained by Afghanistan International, the first day features key discussions led by Hazara leader Mohammad Mohaqiq, AFF leader Yasin Zia, NRF leader Ahmad Massoud, former Afghan National Security Advisor, Rangin Dadfar Spanta, former MP Khalid Pashtoon, Rahela Dostum duaghter of former Vice President Marshal Dostum, women rights activist Fawzia Koofi, and former Afghan governor Rahmatullah Yarmal.

Discussions will focus on Afghanistan’s current state, the challenges ahead, and topics such as “unity for a common goal” and “the inevitable collapse of the Taliban regime”.

The second day will address Afghanistan’s future, global perspectives on the crisis, and the conference’s final declaration. The event will conclude with a press conference.

The report highlights the depreciation of the Afghani currency, which has led to rising prices of essential goods and food items.

The report, published on Monday, acknowledges that while Afghanistan experienced economic growth in 2023-2024, widespread poverty, unemployment, and limited financial resources continue to leave millions in a vulnerable state. Weak purchasing power remains a significant barrier to economic stability.

In December 2024, the afghani depreciated for the third consecutive month, falling 12 percent between November 2024 and January 2025. The exchange rate dropped to 74.8 afghanis per US dollar in January 2025, compared to 67.1 afghanis in October 2024.

In response, Afghanistan’s central bank injected $100 million into the market, but the downward trend of the currency persisted. The depreciation was exacerbated by the suspension of U.S. aid, prompting the Taliban to tighten control over the currency market. Reports suggest that Taliban authorities deployed armed personnel in Kabul’s Sarai Shahzada exchange market to curb further instability.

Despite economic hardships, government revenue collection in 2024 increased by 11.5 percent compared to the previous year. However, declining state revenues in other sectors pose risks to financial stability.

Afghanistan’s imports surged by 40 percent in 2024, driven by increased purchases of food, chemicals, minerals, and transport equipment. Meanwhile, the trade deficit widened by 8 percent in December 2024, reaching $926 million, primarily due to declining exports.

Afghanistan’s exports fell by 19.5 percent in December 2024 to $191 million, with food exports declining by 25 percent and textile exports by 23 percent, largely due to harsh winter conditions affecting production and trade.

The World Bank identified Iran as Afghanistan’s largest trading partner in 2024, accounting for 30 percent of total imports. Other major trade partners included United Arab Emirates, Pakistanand China.

Iranian officials reported that bilateral trade between Iran and Afghanistan exceeded $4 billion, marking the highest trade volume between the two countries in the past two decades.

The World Bank warned that Afghanistan’s economy remains fragile, citing the sharp decline in foreign aid, economic isolation, and uncertain financial policies. A further reduction in international assistance could significantly weaken overall demand and increase economic pressures.

The United States has suspended its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, raising concerns over a potential humanitarian crisis. Observers caution that if aid remains suspended or stops entirely, Afghanistan could face a severe economic and social catastrophe, with the UN estimating that 22 million Afghans require urgent humanitarian assistance.

The World Bank stressed the need for economic reforms, greater financial transparency, and sustainable policies to reduce Afghanistan’s dependence on foreign aid and imports. Without such measures, the country risks further economic deterioration and instability.