Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan Leaders Launch CASA-1000 Power Line, Eyes Turn To Afghanistan

In his Eid al-Fitr sermon on Sunday, delivered in Kandahar’s Eidgah mosque, Akhundzada declared that obedience to the leader is a religious obligation for all Muslims to ensure unity and maintain order.

“Now that there is a leader, everyone must obey him,” he said. “Otherwise, the country will head toward war.” He cited Afghanistan’s civil wars during the 1990s as a cautionary example, arguing that conflict occurred at that time because there was no single leader.

Rejects Laws of Former Government, Dismisses Democracy

In his 50-minute sermon, delivered in Pashto and shared via audio by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid on the social media platform X, Akhundzada firmly rejected the laws of the previous Afghan government. He stated that Afghanistan does not need Western-style laws or democracy, and that Islamic Sharia law is sufficient.

“We do not need laws rooted in the West,” he declared. “We will establish our own laws.” Akhundzada revealed that the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice and Supreme Court had submitted revised versions of previous legal codes for his approval, but he rejected them outright, calling them unacceptable.

He also announced that none of the articles from the former Afghan constitution would be recognised, and that the Taliban would draft a new legal framework aligned with their interpretation of Islamic principles.

Poverty Is God’s Will, Says Akhundzada

Akhundzada also addressed Afghanistan’s worsening economic crisis, attributing poverty to divine destiny. “God has written poverty in your fate—do not complain,” he said, arguing that those who are poor were created that way because God knew they would be patient.

“God created the poor knowing they would endure. A patient person says, ‘God has decided that I be poor, and I am content with His decision.’” He went on to say that no individual can change another’s economic condition, adding: “Don’t say poverty came from this person or that person. No one can do anything for you.”

Rising Poverty Amid Economic Collapse

These remarks come amid a deepening economic crisis in Afghanistan, where unemployment has soared and millions face severe hardship. While Akhundzada delivered his sermon, groups of women were seen sitting outside the mosque gates, begging for help—many of them affected by Taliban policies that have banned women from most forms of employment.

Critics argue that the Taliban leadership is using religious rhetoric to deflect responsibility for the country’s economic collapse. Since the group’s return to power in August 2021, job opportunities—especially for women—have drastically declined, and international aid has been significantly reduced due to the Taliban’s repressive policies.

The World Food Programme (WFP) recently reported that one in three Afghans goes to bed hungry. Observers say the Taliban’s leadership has failed to offer viable solutions to the economic crisis, instead attributing widespread poverty to fate.

The decision was made during the second meeting of Pakistan’s counterterrorism committee, held on Saturday in Islamabad and attended by senior security and government officials. The meeting underscored the need for coordinated action in response to the growing threat, which Pakistani authorities claim is increasingly emanating from Afghanistan.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who chaired the session, said both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir support the move. Naqvi also confirmed the nationwide activation of counterterrorism units, with a particular focus on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan—two provinces that have borne the brunt of recent attacks.

The rise in violence has been attributed to groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch separatist factions. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of providing shelter and support to these militant groups. Officials allege that many of the attacks are planned and coordinated from across the border in Afghanistan.

While the Taliban deny harbouring such militants, various international reports have documented links between Afghan territory and the operations of extremist groups targeting Pakistan. These allegations have further strained already tense relations between the two neighbours.

The group pledged to resume operations against the Taliban following the holiday period and advised the public to avoid Taliban gathering points.

Reaffirming its commitment to armed resistance, the AFF described fighting the “Taliban’s illegitimate rule” as the foremost responsibility of the current generation. It also praised the political and civil activism of Afghan women, referring to them as the “intellectual backbone of freedom fighters.”

The group argued that the fight against what it called the Taliban’s “dark and oppressive rule” must go beyond the struggle for women’s access to work and education, highlighting broader goals of national liberation and dignity.

In a strong rebuke of the Taliban’s Eid message, the AFF criticised remarks by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, calling them a reflection of the group’s “regressive, selective, backward, and deceptive interpretation of religious teachings.” The statement also condemned the Taliban’s dismissive stance on cultural traditions, particularly the rejection of Nowruz, Afghanistan’s pre-Islamic New Year celebration.

“For us, war and armed struggle are neither a passionate choice nor a means to gain power,” the AFF said. “Our fight is for the freedom of Afghanistan and the restoration of our people’s pride and dignity.”

The Afghanistan Freedom Front was established abroad by former military and political officials of the previous Afghan government following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. It is a political-military organisation that supports armed resistance and guerrilla warfare as part of its opposition to Taliban rule.

Marking the first day of Eid al-Fitr on Sunday, 30 March, WFP called for sustained humanitarian support to Afghan families, many of whom are unable to afford even the most basic necessities during the holiday period.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, the UN agency wrote: “In these days of happiness and gratitude, you can share a meal with an Afghan family,” drawing attention to the country’s dire humanitarian crisis.

WFP described Afghanistan as facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies, with over a third of the population in urgent need of food assistance.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recently reported that more than 23 million Afghans depend on humanitarian aid to survive. According to official figures, 48 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, and more than 12 percent are experiencing food insecurity.

The video was released on Saturday by Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US envoy for Afghanistan, who announced Hall’s release earlier that day. In her message, Hall directly addressed Donald Trump, saying, “They are waiting for you to come and set them free.” She conveyed the regards of the women still in Taliban custody and stressed that many remain imprisoned without rights or recourse.

Hall expressed her gratitude to Trump for helping secure her release, stating, “I have never been so proud to be an American citizen.”

According to Khalilzad, Hall is currently receiving medical care at the Qatari embassy in Kabul and will soon return to the United States. She is the fourth American to be freed from Taliban captivity in 2025, following the releases of Ryan Corbett, William McKenty, and George Glezmann. Corbett and McKenty were exchanged for a Taliban prisoner during the final days of Joe Biden’s presidency.

The exact number of American citizens still held by the Taliban remains unknown.

The White House has welcomed the recent releases, while concerns persist over other hostages, including Afghan-American citizen Mahmood Shah Habibi. A US State Department spokesperson recently expressed continued concern for his well-being and for the safety of all remaining American detainees in Taliban custody.