Ex-Secretary Pompeo Defends Doha Talks, Says Ghani Had No Interest In Fixing Afghanistan

Daudzai, a member of the National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan alongside Mohaqiq, said he views the Durand Line as an “imaginary line”, in contrast to Mohaqiq’s position.

Writing on X, he added that differing views among members of the council are natural and said the group, like bodies such as the UN General Assembly or a parliament, seeks to reach joint decisions under a common framework.

He said final decisions on national issues would be left to future processes and major gatherings.

Daudzai also noted that he is not, and has never been, a member of the National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan, saying the term “resistance” implies war, which he opposes.

Mohaqiq, a prominent anti-Taliban figure, recently said he recognises the Durand Line as the official international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In an interview, Mohaqiq said the Taliban claim around 35% of Pakistan’s territory but stressed he adheres to borders recognised by the United Nations.

He added that he does not support territorial claims against Pakistan, warning: “If we claim Attock, they [Pakistan] will come up to Matak [Northern Kabul].”

Mohaqiq leads the Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan and holds influence among communities in central and northern parts of the country.

In a report released on Monday, UNICEF said it provided nutrition services and malnutrition prevention programmes to nearly 10 million mothers and children last year. Around 4 million children also received learning materials through schools and education programmes.

The report said 2.7 million people gained access to emergency safe drinking water and sanitation services. However, 2.2 million girls remain out of school, a major challenge for the education sector.

According to the agency, the return of around 2.8 million migrants to Afghanistan has further increased pressure on the humanitarian situation and needs.

UNICEF thanked its partners and the Afghan people, noting that despite widespread challenges, families continue striving for a better future for their children. The report described children’s resilience and families’ perseverance as a symbol of the country’s ongoing endurance.

The agency stressed that significant international support is still urgently needed to improve the living conditions of children in Afghanistan.

The seminary was founded on 6 September 1947 by Abdul Haq Haqqani in Akora Khattak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A graduate of Darul Uloom Deoband in India, he modelled the institution on that school, earning it the nickname “Pakistan’s Little Deoband”.

Its curriculum is based on that of Darul Uloom Deoband, teaching Islamic sciences including Qur’an, hadith, jurisprudence and Arabic.

Many senior Afghan Taliban figures, including founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, studied at the seminary.

Once a major hub for training Islamist militants, including Afghan Taliban members, the school is now seeing a sharp decline in Afghan students.

Yousaf Shah, a spokesman for the seminary, told Afghanistan International that the number of Afghan Taliban has dropped significantly since the group returned to power in Afghanistan.

He said many Afghan students and teachers have returned to Afghanistan and are now active there.

Gul Rasool Mohammadi, a graduate of the seminary, said 13 former teachers have established new religious schools across Kabul, Nangarhar, Ghazni, Khost, Badakhshan, Paktika, Kunduz, Uruzgan, Balkh and Maidan Wardak provinces.

According to him, the Deh Sabz madrasa in Kabul, with more than 2,000 students, is now the largest religious school in Afghanistan.

Difficulties in obtaining Pakistani visas, border closures and rising tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan have also restricted Afghan students’ access to Pakistani religious schools.

Since returning to power, the Taliban have prioritised the expansion of religious education. Senior officials such as Sirajuddin Haqqani, Abdul Ghani Baradar and Amir Khan Muttaqi are reported to be involved in running religious schools in various provinces.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in January 2026 that more than 20,000 madrasas are now operating under the group's education ministry, with around 2.5 million students enrolled in religious studies.

Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the People’s Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan and a member of the National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan, said in an interview on Sunday, April 19, that the Durand Line remains a key point of dispute between the Taliban and Pakistan. He claimed the Taliban consider about 35% of Pakistan’s territory as part of Afghanistan.

In the interview, Mohaqiq said: “We are committed to the UN’s delineation.” He compared Afghanistan’s current political map to a mulberry leaf, saying he accepts the country’s geography as it stands.

Referring to Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, the former Afghan ruler, he said that regardless of who signed the original agreement, the United Nations and the international community now recognise the Durand Line.

Mohaqiq added that those raising territorial claims against Pakistan should assess their own strength, describing Pakistan as a nuclear power and saying he does not support continuing the dispute.

In 1893, during the rule of Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, an agreement was signed between Afghanistan and British India defining the border, later known as the Durand Line after British diplomat Henry Mortimer Durand.

Like previous Afghan governments, the Taliban administration does not recognise the Durand Line as the official border. Amid rising tensions, Taliban defence minister Mullah Yaqoob has said that one of Pakistan’s demands in talks was for the Taliban to recognise the line.

Mohaqiq also said he had previously discussed the issue with former president Hamid Karzai, arguing at the time that rejecting the Durand Line was not in Afghanistan’s interest.

He recalled telling Karzai: “If we claim Attock, they [Pakistan] will come up to Matak [Northern Kabul].”

Mohaqiq said there are differing views among Afghan politicians on the Durand Line, but he has never concealed his position.

UN-Habitat said in a post on X on Monday, April 20, that immediate action is required to address the needs of people in Afghanistan.

The organisation added that the 13th World Urban Forum is set to be held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, where housing, vital for Afghans, will be a key topic, stressing that action must be taken now to ensure adequate housing for all.

Recent floods in Afghanistan, which began on March 26, have caused significant loss of life and damage.

According to figures released by Taliban authorities, more than 100 people have died in recent incidents including earthquakes, floods and roof collapses across the country.