Russia, Iran, China & Pakistan Hold Talks Ahead Of Moscow Format On Afghanistan

The call came during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to Malaysia, where he met with his counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim. Sharif’s visit began on Sunday and will continue until 7 October.

In a joint communiqué, the two leaders reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to peace and stability in Afghanistan and to ensuring a sustainable future for its people. They emphasised “the solidarity of the Islamic Ummah” and the importance of resolving international disputes peacefully, in accordance with international law and United Nations resolutions.

Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday, 5 October said the two leaders stressed the need for continued engagement with the Taliban, particularly in countering terrorism and preventing Afghan territory from being used to threaten or harm other nations.

They also underscored the importance of protecting Afghans’ fundamental rights, establishing an inclusive political system, and maintaining humanitarian and capacity-building assistance for Afghanistan.

Beyond Afghanistan, the two leaders discussed global issues, including the Middle East crisis. They expressed support for international efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting solution, including a viable path toward Palestinian statehood.

He add that “Afghans will never allow their land to be handed over to anyone under any circumstances.”

Mujahid also confirmed that the Taliban has held discussions with the United States about reopening Afghanistan’s embassy in Washington and the US embassy in Kabul, but gave no details on progress.

Recognition and Legitimacy

The Taliban spokesman claimed that the group does not face a “legitimacy problem,” asserting that “many countries have privately recognised” its government.

He declined to name any such countries, although Russia remains the only state to have formally recognised the Taliban since they seized power four years ago.

Ban on Girls’ Education

Asked whether girls would be allowed to return to schools, Mujahid said: “I cannot make any promises about that.”

The Taliban’s Ministry of Education continues to describe the closure of girls’ schools as “temporary,” saying they will reopen once policies are aligned with “Islamic Sharia and Afghan culture.”

However, after four years in power, no plan has been announced to reopen secondary schools or universities for girls.

Internet Blackout and Accountability

Afghanistan recently endured a 48-hour internet blackout that paralysed banking, aviation, and communications services nationwide. Mujahid said he did not know the cause of the outage and would not confirm whether it was ordered by Taliban authorities.

“We have not received any official statement from the Ministry of Telecommunications, so we are not in a position to comment,” he said.

However, one Afghan internet service provider told customers by email that the shutdown had been ordered by the Taliban government. Human rights activists condemned the blackout as censorship that disproportionately affected women who rely on online education.

Ban on Women’s Medical Education

Women are no longer permitted to study medicine or nursing under Taliban rule. The United Nations has called the policy “deeply discriminatory, short-sighted, and life-threatening for women and girls in multiple ways.”

Mujahid defended the ban, saying Afghanistan “has enough female doctors,” and insisted that religious scholars would review the matter “within the framework of Islamic Sharia.”

Despite mounting international criticism, Taliban officials maintain that the country has “progressed” under their rule and is building lasting relations with regional powers.

According to a statement from the Taliban’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce issued

on Sunday Ambassador Ünal also invited Azizi to participate in the Halal Expo 2025, which will take place in Istanbul from 27 to 30 November, following the ECO meeting.

The Fifth ECO Trade Ministers’ Meeting is scheduled for 24–26 November in Istanbul. The Taliban said the meeting between Ünal and Azizi also focused on expanding bilateral trade, facilitating transit, and attracting foreign investment to Afghanistan.

The 17th ECO Summit of Heads of State was held on 3–4 July in Azerbaijan, where Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy prime minister for economic affairs, represented Afghanistan and urged that the next summit the 18th ECO meeting be held in Kabul. He said the Taliban were fully prepared to host the gathering.

The ECO member states include Iran, Pakistan, Türkiye, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

The Taliban’s announcement of the invitation comes as several regional organisations of which Afghanistan is a member have so far declined to invite Taliban representatives to their meetings.

Last year’s ECO Council of Foreign Ministers’ expert-level meeting in Mashhad, Iran, was held without Taliban participation. At the time, an Iranian official said the decision not to invite the group had been made by the organisation’s secretariat.

According to a statement released on Saturday, 4 October, by the Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, Kabir expressed concern over the treatment of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, saying such operations “should not be repeated.”

The statement said both sides agreed that dialogue between the Taliban and Islamabad was essential to resolving current tensions. Kabir stressed that Afghanistan and Pakistan must “coexist in peace and security” and underlined the importance of regional stability.

The Pakistani delegation, meanwhile, emphasised the need for unity among Islamic nations and for improving relations between Kabul and Islamabad. They said that sustained political dialogue was the best way to address strained ties between the Taliban and the Pakistani government.

Jamaat-e-Islami, founded in the 1940s in Lahore, is one of Pakistan’s most influential religious political parties. The party advocates for an Islamic system based on Sharia law and promotes what it describes as “divine sovereignty.”

Hamdullah Fitrat, the Taliban’s deputy spokesperson, shared the video on Friday on his X account without providing context. The footage shows Taliban fighters seated in a vehicle, singing a song that glorifies suicide attacks and pledges retaliation against any perceived aggression.

“We are committed to peace, but if they make a mistake against us, the youths will register for suicide missions,” the lyrics say. The song praises several early figures associated with suicide operations and refers to Jalaluddin Haqqani as “Baba.” One verse warns that if anyone opposes the Taliban, they will “turn the mountains and valleys into flames.”

The video’s release follows Trump’s recent remarks that US forces should “retake Bagram Airbase.” In response, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the airbase is part of Afghanistan’s territory and “belongs neither to China nor the United States,” urging Washington to engage “through diplomacy and logic.”

Analysts say the Taliban’s publication of such propaganda is aimed at projecting defiance amid fears that Trump’s statements could signal renewed US interest in Afghanistan. Trump has warned that if the Taliban refuses to hand over the base, “bad things will happen.”