Ten months of Taliban’s rule: 81.5% of the cabinet composition and governors are Pashtuns and 98.4% of them are Taliban members, there is no woman and Hazara

Ten months after Taliban’s domination the latest survey of Aamaj News shows that 82.7% of the Taliban’s cabinet members are Pashtuns and 96.5% of them are their own members. According to this survey 82.3% of governors are Pashtuns and 100% of them are Taliban members.

There are 6.8% Tajiks, 6.8% Uzbeks, and 3.4% Nuristanis in Taliban’s cabinet.

Taliban assumed power back in mid-August 2021, and it has been ten months of their domination. But what were the difficulties that Taliban faced in past ten months? What are their achievements? This report discuss this issue.

Taliban and predicament of their recognition

The biggest problem of Taliban in past ten months was the predominant of their internal and international recognition. They have failed to be recognized by international organizations and foreign countries. While they are facing major problems inside Afghanistan as well. The activities of anti-Taliban fronts, their internal conflicts and ethnic conflicts are the hardships they are facing.

Neighboring countries and the world emphasizing on formation of an inclusive government while Taliban are trying to exclude non-Pashtuns from government. Most recently foreign minister of Iran and foreign minister of Pakistan emphasized that an inclusive government must be formed in Afghanistan. Iranian foreign minister earlier visiting his Indian counterpart also had emphasized on this issue. This way presidents of Iran, Tajikistan, Turkey and some international organizations also stated that an inclusive government must be formed in Afghanistan.

After ten months of their rule, Taliban have faced serious difficulties inside Afghanistan too, despite resistance in Panjshir, Andarab, Kapisa and some other provinces, some of their famous commanders in north are not satisfied with them as well. Recently, Mawlawi Mahdi Mujahid, a Hazara commander of them left their group, and arming people in Balkhab against them. Mawlawi Mahdi left the Taliban because of their lack of attention to Shiites in Afghanistan. Prior to that Taliban had fired Uzbek commanders in north which engendered tensions in north.

This way, Taliban showed in past ten months that they have not been able to establish their sovereignty all over the country, nor form an inclusive government which runs the contrary of their claims.

Their only effort is the returning of some former political figures which are mainly Pashtuns and their bad role in the past have elicited the reactions of non-Pashtuns.

Taliban and international terrorism

International concerns regarding Afghanistan to be a safe haven of terrorists and not considering human rights by Taliban have mounted recently. Earlier Russian President, Vladimir Putin, visiting his Uzbek counterpart expressed his concerns that Afghanistan is becoming safe haven of terrorists. The US Minority Leader of the United States Senate, Mitch McConnell, recently said that the Taliban-Haqqani government in Afghanistan is a terrorist sponsoring government and has deep ties to al-Qaeda.

Increase of ISIS in Afghanistan is the main concern of neighboring countries and the world that Taliban have not been able to control it. IS-K sometimes shares videos of its activities in Afghanistan. Last month it shared a video of a rocket on Tajikistan. According to the reports in some areas in Afghanistan, some Taliban commanders who are not satisfied with Taliban and some former officers have been hired by ISIS.

Taliban and arbitrary killing of civilians

Human Rights Watch releasing a statement expressed its concern over arbitrary killings and oppression of Taliban against civilians in Panjshir and Andarab. But the Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, releasing a statement rejected the issue regarding violation of human rights and citizenship rights. But High Council of Resistance to Save Afghanistan reacting to deeds of Taliban said that their interpretation of religion (Islam) is “bedouin”, and they resort to oppression and killing of people.

The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) has repeatedly claimed that Taliban have massacred civilians and former security forces in Panjshir, Andarab and Kapisa. Additionally, sources across the country send information about killings of civilians, and arbitrary arrests in different parts to Aamaj News, but Taliban have repeatedly rejected this sort of claims.

How is economic situation within ten months of Taliban’s rule?

Poverty, unemployment and weak state of economy are the serious crises that Taliban are facing. Still people are thinking about feeding their families to survive, ten months of Taliban’s domination. The level of poverty and unemployment has increased unprecedentedly, and the majority of Afghanistan’s population are suffering from this unprecedented unemployment. The weak state of economy has engendered insecurity across the country. Lack of export and import and Taliban’s weakness on providing work opportunity have made the life situation of people “harsh”.

Taliban and racial discrimination

Taliban have acted based on their ethnic interest from the very beginning of their government, now the issue has been complicated and their government is encountering this issue. The survey of Aamaj News indicates that the majority of Taliban political leaders are Pashtuns, and others ethnic groups lack competency in their government. Taliban have always tried to disarm the non-Pashtun commanders and marginalize them. Most recently a prominent Hazara commander named, Mawlawi Mahdi, left their group. Taliban are struggling to arrest Mawlawi Mahdi. Prior to this one, Taliban put Makhdom Alem one of their famous Uzbek commanders in prison, then released and disarmed him, as well as fired Qari Salahuddin Ayubi and Atauallah Omari, two other famous Uzbek commanders in north of Afghanistan, from their jobs in military corps and appointed them to other positions in Kabul, which show the Taliban behavior towards other based on an ethnic mentality.

Furthermore, the arbitrary arrests of people in Panjshir and Andarab also indicate the behaviors of Taliban which are based on their ethnic interest.

Taliban and women’s rights

By passing of the ten months, Taliban have showed that they do not believe women’s rights. Unlike their first days of domination, recently they have imposed restrictions on women a lot. Yet, schools are closed for girls in majority of cities in Afghanistan. Female presenters wear mask while presenting the programs, and women are not allowed to travel inside and outside the country without a male guardian.

The Taliban supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, in his order urged women to observe Islamic hijab, but the order has been bitterly criticized by people and international institutions. In the last case, Taliban have ordered restaurants in Takhar to refrain from welcoming women to have meal in restaurants.

Taliban and media

In ten months the Taliban’s behavior towards the media and journalists has been discriminatory. Recently, their behavior has been intense and more serious. Leaked reports to Aamaj News show that Taliban arrest and torture journalists in different provinces. It has been four months that Khalid Qaderi, a journalist and brother of Homeira Qaderi, is still in prison.

Most recently, Abdul Hanan Mohammadi, a local journalist and provincial deputy of the Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association has been detained by Taliban. After the arrest, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urged the Taliban to be responsible on such cases.

A YouTuber, Ajmal Haqiqi an three of his colleagues are in Taliban’s custody accused of insulting the “Islamic values”. Amnesty International urged the Taliban to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Haqiqi and his colleagues. Yet, there is no information available about his situation.

On the other hand, female presenters have been requested to cover their faces while presenting programs that elicited international reactions.

While political figures as Afghansitan’s former ambassador to the UN, Mahmoud Saikal, and Masoud Andarabi believe that the end of Taliban is near, but the passage of time will show how this amount of religious radicalism, ethnic and non-national behaviors will last.

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Source: Aamaj News