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Taliban say its committed to peace talks but wants Islamic system
The Taliban said on Sunday it wants a “genuine Islamic system” in Afghanistan and that the group is committed to peace talks and believes in resolving issues through (mutual) understanding.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the head of the Taliban’s political office in Qatar, said in a statement issued Sunday that now that foreign forces are on the verge of completing their withdrawal process, “efforts should be made – following the obtainment of independence – to form a system that caters to the aspirations of the Afghan people for tranquility and prosperity.”
“Consolidation of an Islamic system in Afghanistan certainly depends on the Afghans’ mutual compromises, hard decisions and accepting each other because positive advancement is not possible in a time of dissension, war, and confrontation,” the statement read.
The statement comes amid slow progress in the Doha peace talks between the Afghan Republic’s team and the Taliban and a rise in violence across the country.
Officials have meanwhile raised concerns over the slow progress around peace talks and have said the Taliban has not yet submitted a written peace proposal that could be used as a starting point for substantive talks.
Baradar said however in the statement: “We understand that the world and Afghans have queries and questions about the form of the system to be established following withdrawal of foreign troops.
“Our very participation in the negotiations and its support on our part indicates openly that we believe in resolving issues through (mutual) understanding,” he said.
He added that women and minorities would be protected and diplomats and NGO workers would be able to work securely.
“We take it on ourselves as a commitment to accommodate all rights of citizens of our country, whether they are male or female, in the light of the rules of the glorious religion of Islam and the noble traditions of the Afghan society,” he said, adding that ‘facilities would be provided’ for women to work and be educated.
But in May US intelligence analysts released an assessment that the Taliban “would roll back much” of the progress made in Afghan women’s rights if the Islamist extremists regained national power.
Before being ousted by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion, the Taliban imposed a harsh version of Islamic rule that included barring girls from school and women from working outside their homes and prohibiting them from being in public without a male relative.Baradar meanwhile also called on the youths of the country not to migrate.
“Youths are like the backbone of a society. We call on the young generation, you have the responsibility to serve your country and people; the Islamic Emirate will provide you this opportunity. Stay with your families and serve your country and people in order to ensure a proud and comfortable life for yourselves and the coming generations, rather than heading for abroad, away from your families and children, in quest of a morsel of bread.”He also said the Taliban wants to assure the international community that no threat will be posed by the group to foreign diplomats, and NGO workers based in Afghanistan.
“Humanitarian NGOs have been carrying out their philanthropic activities in our country in coordination with the Islamic Emirate for a long time now. The Islamic Emirate sees it as its responsibility to provide a safe environment for their constructive works.”
Roza Otunbayeva, Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), recently visited the city of Maimana in northern Afghanistan, where she met with local officials, entrepreneurs, and UN staff.
UNAMA wrote on its Facebook page on Sunday, that during the visit, entrepreneurs — including women — met with Otunbayeva, and requested support to facilitate access to new markets, particularly in Uzbekistan.
UNAMA further stated that among these entrepreneurs was a group of women who, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), had established a tailoring workshop.
They expressed their appreciation for the support received and spoke about the significant growth and development of their business.
UNAMA added that the organization remains committed to promoting economic opportunities and empowering Afghan communities, especially women.
Anand Prakash, head of the Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan Division of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, met with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul for talks on various issues.
According to a press release issued Sunday by the Afghan Foreign Ministry, bilateral political relations, trade, transit and recent political developments in the region were discussed in the meeting.
Muttaqi stressed the need for the expansion of diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries and explained that Afghanistan currently offers favorable opportunities for investment. He said Indian investors should take advantage of these opportunities.
He also said that facilities should be created for the movement of people between Afghanistan and India and the issuance of visas for medical purposes, students and businessmen should return to normal.
Meanwhile, Prakash said that relations with Afghanistan are important for India and he hopes that these relations will expand further in various fields.
He stressed that India will continue its cooperation with Afghanistan and wants to invest in some infrastructure projects and restart projects that were paused for some time.
The two sides also emphasized the expansion of relations, the exchange of delegations, visa facilitation and bilateral cooperation.
Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has said in a phone call with his Uzbek counterpart that Afghanistan is fully prepared for the implementation of the Trans-Afghan railway project.
During the call, the two sides discussed strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations, as well as expanding political, economic and transit cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul said in a statement on Sunday.
Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov noted that Afghanistan’s exports to Uzbekistan have tripled in the first four months of 2025 compared to last year. He vowed to create more facilities in the field of trade and transit between the two countries, especially in issuing visas to Afghan citizens.
Meanwhile, Amir Khan Muttaqi said that Afghanistan is fully prepared for the implementation of major economic projects such as the Trans-Afghan railway project and for the strengthening of political, trade and transit cooperation with Uzbekistan. He said that the existing opportunities should be utilized for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
The two sides also discussed the holding of a trilateral meeting between Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan at the level of foreign ministers and agreed to coordinate through diplomatic channels to determine the exact date and place of the meeting.
The three neighboring countries signed an agreement in February 2021 to construct a 573-kilometer railway line through Afghanistan, connecting landlocked Central Asia to Pakistan seaports, with an estimated cost of $4.8 billion to enhance regional economic connectivity.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Uzbek foreign minister last Thursday to discuss the Trans-Afghan railway project.
Dar expressed hope that the three countries would soon sign a framework agreement on this important regional project.
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