World Must Press Taliban To Negotiate With Opposition, Says Vienna Process Host

The deportations are part of the second phase of Islamabad’s crackdown on undocumented migrants, primarily targeting Afghan citizens.

As of 1 April, a total of 100,529 Afghans have been expelled, out of an estimated three million Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan, according to the United Nations. The campaign has intensified across several provinces, including Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.

In March, Pakistani authorities announced the renewed deportation drive, accusing Afghan migrants of involvement in drug trafficking and “supporting terrorism.” The statement was followed by widespread arrests and detentions, prompting concerns from human rights groups and international organisations.

Many of the deported Afghans had lived in Pakistan for decades, some arriving as early as the 1980s during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The return to a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, which is currently facing one of the worst humanitarian and economic crises in its history, has left many in shock and despair.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has raised alarm over the growing humanitarian crisis. With approximately 5,000 migrants returning to Afghanistan each week, the organisation warned that millions are now facing deepening poverty and widespread displacement. The ICRC noted that more than half of Afghanistan’s population is reliant on humanitarian assistance.

According to the state-run Bakhtar News Agency, senior officials from both governments, along with over 400 traders and investors from the two countries, took part in the event. The forum focused on strengthening commercial ties and exploring new opportunities for investment across various sectors.

Bakhtar reported that the event will conclude with a two-day exhibition featuring a wide range of products and goods from both Afghan and Kazakh businesses.

Speaking at the forum, Serik Zhumangarin, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, affirmed his country’s commitment to supporting an “advanced and independent” Afghanistan. He highlighted the growing economic relationship between the two nations, noting Kazakhstan’s readiness to cooperate in key sectors including railways, transportation, logistics, agriculture, technology, mining, and healthcare.

Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, also addressed the gathering, stating that trade between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan has increased by 32 percent since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. He added that both countries are working towards raising their annual trade volume to USD 3 billion.

According to The Nairobi Times, Qadir was apprehended at a hotel in Nairobi shortly after arriving in the country on 14 April 2025 aboard a Qatar Airways flight. Kenyan police, acting on a request from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), secured a detention warrant from the court, citing Qadir's lack of a fixed residence and high flight risk.

Kenyan prosecutors revealed that a US court had issued an arrest warrant for Qadir on 25 March 2025. Nicholas DiFrancesco, a DEA special agent, confirmed that an official complaint had been filed in the Southern District of New York. The charges include conspiracy to import narcotics and possession of a machine gun.

On 15 April 2025, a Nairobi court reviewed the matter and granted authorisation for the extradition process to move forward. The court also approved the Kenyan Attorney General’s request for Qadir’s continued detention, citing concerns that his release could jeopardise the extradition and hinder investigations into potential accomplices who remain at large.

Authorities warned that Qadir might attempt to flee to a jurisdiction lacking an extradition treaty with the United States, thereby obstructing the legal process.

The Nairobi Directorate of Criminal Investigations confirmed Qadir's arrest and affirmed that he would remain in custody pending further proceedings. Meanwhile, his family had previously claimed he was detained in Dubai, a claim now contradicted by the official account from Kenyan authorities.

According to a statement released on Tuesday by the Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education, Akhundzada addressed thousands during a four-day religious conference titled “Teaching Islamic Culture Subjects,” held under the leadership of Nangarhar University. The event, hosted at Kandahar University, reportedly brought together over 2,600 participants.

In his speech, Akhundzada declared, “The infidels were defeated in the war in Afghanistan, and now they have started a narrative war, which we must fight together against.” He emphasised the need for continued resistance, stating: “For twenty years, the people of Afghanistan did jihad for the establishment of the Sharia system. Now, even if it takes a hundred years of sacrifice, we must not tire in its implementation.”

He also underscored the importance of education, urging officials to serve in a way that turns students into a “spiritual force” for Afghan society. Stressing unity among Taliban members and their supporters, he added: “I want for you the same as I want for myself, and if you want for me the same as you want for yourselves, then no enemy can create division among us, and the system will face no problems.”

The Ministry’s statement noted that over 2,000 attendees pledged allegiance to Akhundzada during the event. Neda Mohammad Nadeem, the Taliban’s Minister of Higher Education, explained the pledge as a complete submission of one’s life and property to the “Amir” in exchange for the establishment of “the religion of Allah.”

No images or videos from the conference have been released, consistent with Akhundzada’s strict avoidance of media exposure.

Notably absent from the Taliban leader’s speech was any mention of the ongoing ban on education for girls and women. Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban has barred an estimated 2.2 million Afghan girls from attending school and has prohibited women from accessing higher education; moves widely condemned by the international community.

Despite international pressure, Akhundzada has remained firm in his stance on enforcing what he interprets as Sharia law. As a result, the reopening of girls’ schools remains uncertain, and no country has formally recognised the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

According to sources, Taliban security forces detained Taimur Shah Jalalzai, a resident of Andar district in Ghazni province, on charges of spreading propaganda against the group.

Taliban officials stated that Jalalzai was identified and apprehended by the group’s cyber and technical unit. He has since confessed to his alleged activities, they claim.

Media outlets affiliated with the Taliban have circulated a video showing Jalalzai making what appears to be a forced confession. In the video, he asks the Taliban for forgiveness and pledges not to repeat his actions. Taliban sources allege that Jalalzai had been operating under pseudonyms on platforms such as TikTok and Facebook, where he posted what they described as “defamatory, propagandistic, and misleading” content.

Jalalzai is reportedly a resident of Liwan village in the Andar district of Ghazni province.

Over the past four years, the Taliban has detained thousands of individuals on similar charges, including accusations of anti-regime propaganda and criticism of its leadership. Among those arrested are more than a dozen journalists, raising ongoing concerns about freedom of expression and press under Taliban rule.