Where is Afghanistan heading to under the Taliban’s rule?

Five months ago, former president of Afghanistan fled the country and following this issue Taliban took the control of government offices in Kabul and other provinces one by one. A militant group changed itself to a responsible government according to Taliban.

A reporter of Aamaj News has gathered the ideas of the people and the ones in the knew on political, economic and social behavior of Taliban in past five months.

After Taliban’s domination a multitude of people thronged to airport, because they were afraid of Taliban. Now, Taliban are deciding about women’s rights, freedom of expression, beard and clothes of men. They also do not accept an inclusive government, and discriminately oust some experienced and trained people from ministries and other offices, that is why they have failed to gain internal acceptance and international legitimacy.

Former Afghan ambassador to Norway, Shukria Barakzai, said that Taliban’s regime has not done anything in past five months to gain internal and international legitimacy. She added the people’s social, cultural, educational, political, and economic situation is getting worst day to day.

Mrs. Barakzai added that Taliban have not been able to provide security in Afghanistan in past five months, there is still war and ethnic dispute, the level of corruption is so high, and governmental offices have not opened fully yet.

She said the system’s structure is not complete, firstly, there is no women in government. Secondly, Taliban are not able to run the country’s affairs. This was the main reason they could not have an achievement in past five months.

Why no country has recognized Taliban, unlike two decades ago?

Mrs. Barakzai believes that in the first place, it is a legal issue. Not recognizing of Taliban has many reasons, including internal legitimacy. Whenever a system is not able to have the vote and will of its own people, it is difficult to be recognized by other countries. Taliban failed to gain internal legitimacy. The second issue is a political issue, the majority of people who occupied higher positions are in blacklist of UN and other organizations and even there are rewards for their arrest. Taliban are a terrorist group, and their recognition by any country automatically damages that country’s political and economic relations. That is the reason even Pakistan the Taliban’s safe haven has not recognized them.

Taliban in their first rule back in 1996-2001 under the name of “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” approximately had sovereignty all over the country. That time Pakistan, UAE and Saudi Arabia had recognized them. When the US attacked Taliban collapsed, and during the presidency of Hamid Karzai they gradually reappeared and fought against Karzai’s government and its NATO allies. Once again they entered Kabul on August 15, 2021 and took the power.

Have Taliban changed?

Former ambassador of Afghanistan to Norway said they have not changed in a positive way.

Barakzai added the Taliban’s behavior has not changed. When Taliban took the power back in late 1990s there were not that many government offices, luxurious houses, and vehicles to take them forcibly. But now they without people’s permission and violating their privacy extort and even prepare their own food by people. Taliban have been a burden on people, because they cannot prepare their own food, and their behavior is retaliatory.

After Taliban’s domination public universities are closed, private universities continue their activities but have separated the classes of boys and girls. Girls form grade 7-12 cannot go to school. Women have been fired and media outlets are under attack.

Mujib Rahmani–nickname– a producer of political programs in a private TV channel said that Taliban have repeatedly sent their fighter in office to warn the media officials because of some programs in which people criticized them. “We have to prepare the topics at Taliban’s satisfaction. We have to pay attention to choose appropriate guests, because we cannot invite people who criticize Taliban,” he said.

Meanwhile, according to the UN most recent report more than 35 of its experts said that Taliban are constantly trying to erase Afghan women and girls from society.

These experts expressing their concerns over the situation of women in Afghanistan, said, “we are concerned about the continuous and systematic efforts to exclude women from the social, economic, and political spheres across the country.”

Zahra Mohammadi a women’s rights activist and head of Afghanistan’s women unity and solidarity team said that on the contrary of their amnesty, Taliban continued to killings, taking hostage, target killings and violating of freedom of expressions. She added that Taliban closed the schools of girls and limited women’s activities. In past five months of their rule they did not behave people in a good way. They have limited the access of people to the media and local media outlets are under pressure. According to Ms. Mohammadi Taliban suppressed the protests of people in particular of women, additionally have made different excuses to arrest women including women saying they have involved in vice and prostitution.

She added that international community must not recognize Taliban, because they have not kept their promises.

On the other hand, Shukria Barakzai praised Afghan women’s activities and said they are half part of the society and Taliban cannot ignore them.

What will Taliban do with Persian culture and literature?

After three months of Taliban’s rule, Aamaj News conducting an inclusive survey in 34 provinces of Afghanistan found that 92.5% of Taliban’s cabinet are Pashtuns and 100% of it was Taliban members. After that literati and writers speculated that Persian terminology and culture would be excluded. Do Taliban want to exclude Persian culture and literature?

Najeeb Barwar a famous poet and writer said that Taliban’s war is a cultural war.

Barwar said the cultural war is a plain truth, all the people know that Taliban’s behavior is so organized. They put flower on tomb of Amanullah Khan and broke the tombstone of Ahmad Shah Massoud, and destroyed the statue of Abul Ali Mazari. This way they deployed their suicide bombers unit to Uzbek area to maneuver. It is crystal clear that they oppose Persian language and culture. In the first rule of Taliban speaking in Pashto language was a benefit, and if you spoke Persian it would be bad and led to violence.

Mr. Barwar pointing to Taliban’s current behavior said that right now Taliban have their specific activities. As people noticed they changed the sign of ministry of women’s affairs which were in Persian and Pashto and made all in Pashto, and changed its calendar type to lunar Hijri which does not belong to Afghanistan’s geography. He added that anno Hijri is the type which is common in Afghanistan, and Taliban’s this move shows their enmity with Persian language and culture. Emphasizing on Pashto in a society that 90% of them speak Persian is kind of policy that denies people’s rights. We must know that Taliban are imposing a cultural aspect, and all Pashtun based governments were doing so.

Is there the possibility of Taliban ‘s weakening through the server hunger that people are facing?

Taliban by entering Kabul and taking the power had not thought about people’s hunger and insurrection. But famine and hunger is the biggest challenge that a ruler or even a family faces.

International Crisis Group in a report said that Afghan people would starve to death because famine and hunger, and as soon as possible humanitarian assistance must be provided.

According to this report hunger and poverty could kill more Afghans than bombs and bullets. ICG said that Taliban’s mismanagement and blocking of international aid are the main reasons of humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

The news comes as after Taliban’s domination the level of poverty has increased in Afghanistan and some families sell their children or parts of their bodies to feed the rest of family members.

Sameera –nickname– one of Kabul University staff said that Taliban paid her two months salary in five months and using that amount of money she is not able to buy even bread. She added that sometimes she regrets that she gave birth to her children, that she cannot feed them.
Shukria whose husband killed in war said that she cannot tolerate the situation.

Political analysts believe if a group take the power by force and cannot provide security and improve the economic situation, the end of that group is near.

One Kabul based citizen said in the absence of food and work, death will come near. So they will be obliged to revolt against the regime for survival, and destroy the regime which is not able to provide food for its people. He added that they will risk, otherwise they will die.

So, where is Afghanistan heading to?

People are thinking about country in absence of an inclusive government, economic collapse, famine, hunger and an organized administration.

Ahmad Saeedi a political analyst and university lecturer said the future of Afghanistan is not clear yet. The world and Afghans have not made their final decision. Some of Taliban members accept an inclusive government, but some others reject it. He added until radical Taliban as Haqqani Network and the moderate ones as the ones belong to Mullah Baradar are not together to form an inclusive government, there will be tough days ahead. By the end of the winter people will revolt against Taliban.

Taliban as always say they have the control of the situation, but the time will show what will happen in the future.