Afghan Taliban ‘missed opportunity’ for recognition

'Decided not to go ahead with recognition after Taliban backtracked on promises, particularly girls’ education'

ISLAMABAD:

At least one dozen countries, including Pakistan, were on the verge of recognising the Afghan Taliban government in March but withheld their decision following the failure of Kabul's de facto rulers to fulfil the promises made with the international community.

"They (Taliban) missed a great opportunity. Around 10 to 12 countries were actively considering recognising their government in March," a senior Pakistani official involved in the process revealed. The official who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Express Tribune that those countries decided not to go ahead with the recognition after Taliban backtracked on some of the promises, particularly on girls’ education.

The official said the momentum was very much there and not just Pakistan but certain key countries were ready to formally accept the Taliban rule.

"Had those countries gone ahead with their decision, it would have certainly paved the way for other countries to follow suit," the official said, adding that the Afghan Taliban were only to be blamed for this "missed opportunity".

When the Afghan Taliban returned to power in August last year, they assured the international community of an inclusive government, not allowing their soil to be used again by terrorist outfits and respecting women rights as well as allowing girls to go to school.

The Taliban told the international community that girls' schools would be reopened after the winter season in March. However, the Taliban did not live up to their commitment undermining the chances of international community legitimising their rule.

In June, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a visit to Islamabad made a damning assessment of the Afghan Taliban rule, saying the war-torn country was heading in the "wrong direction".

"When we look across the border, the Taliban is leading the country to a downfall," the top German diplomat had said at a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

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"Parents don't know how to feed their children. Girls are deprived of their education. Women are almost excluded from participation in public life. Dissenting voices are brutally suppressed. The economy is grinding to a halt," the German foreign minister had said.

She went on to say the international community must stand united and together tell the Taliban loud and clear that "you are heading in the wrong direction".

"As long as they go down this path, there is no room for normalisation and even less for recognition of the Taliban as legitimate rulers of the country," she stressed in a clear message that recognition of the Taliban rule was out of question at this stage.

The Taliban government is struggling to provide relief to the people recently hit by devastating earthquake because of lack of international recognition.

The acting Afghan foreign minister last week met the US special envoy in Doha to seek the unfreezing of foreign assets of the Afghan Central Bank.

Washington has announced a relief package for quake victims but there are no signs that it will allow the Taliban to get their hands on the foreign reserves withheld by the US after their return to power in August last year.