Taliban Leader Postpones Loya Jirga After Dispute Over Assembly’s Composition

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has indefinitely postponed a planned Loya Jirga, Afghanistan’s traditional grand assembly, due to internal disagreements among the group’s top leadership, sources have told Afghanistan International.

The assembly was intended to lend legitimacy to Taliban rule and provide a platform for key decisions, including the implementation of hudud and qisas (Islamic punishments). However, senior figures within the Taliban reportedly objected to the planned structure of the Jirga, particularly its exclusive and non-inclusive composition.

A source in Kabul said the initiative faced opposition from key Taliban leaders, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior; Mullah Yaqub Mujahid, Minister of Defence; Shahabuddin Delawar, head of the Afghanistan Red Crescent Society; and Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, a senior Taliban diplomat. They are said to have criticised the proposed format, arguing it would merely repeat previous gatherings of religious scholars that failed to deliver meaningful outcomes.

“They told Akhundzada that we already held a religious scholars’ assembly in Kabul, but it didn’t produce the expected results,” the source said. “If this is going to be another closed-door gathering, it’s unnecessary and costly.”

According to the same source, Haqqani and others based in Kabul have advocated for a more traditional and inclusive Loya Jirga, one that brings together tribal elders, community leaders, and representatives from diverse segments of Afghan society. They argue that only such a format could enhance both domestic and international legitimacy.

Akhundzada, however, has reportedly rejected the proposal for an inclusive format, leading to the delay of the Jirga with no new date announced.

Back in March, Afghanistan International reported that the Taliban leadership had begun preparations to hold the Jirga after Eid. The event was expected to bring together approximately 2,000 attendees, with provincial governors instructed to select participants. The list included 1344 delegates from across the districts, comprised mainly of religious scholars and tribal figures closely aligned with Akhundzada.

Critics, including opposition political figures, have expressed scepticism about the legitimacy of any assembly in which the Taliban control all aspects of participation and decision-making. They argue that a genuinely representative Loya Jirga must be inclusive, transparent, and free from the Taliban’s unilateral influence in order to carry any real legitimacy.