The Taliban want the international community to seek cooperation from the group and not make demands by “putting pressure” on them. Speaking at an event in Qatar, Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister of the Taliban government, said that the previous government failed to bring reforms in 20 years despite strong international support but the world now wants to bring in the reforms in two months, reported Tolo News.
“You should not seek your demands through putting pressure on us, ask us through cooperation,” Muttaqi said at the event organised by the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.
The Taliban government is seeking recognition from the international community but most of the countries have opted for a wait-and-watch policy and demanded the Sunni Pashtun group to fulfil their promises of an inclusive government and respect for human rights, especially that of women and girls.
On Sunday, the United States and the Taliban held talks in Doha for the first time after the final withdrawal of US troops in August. US state department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement that the talks revolved around the safe passage of Americans, other foreign nationals and Afghan partners. Price added that the Taliban will be “judged on its actions, not only its words.”
Muttaqi said that “the full implementation of the Doha agreement signed between the US and Afghanistan can address any problem between the two countries,” according to Tolo News.
The Taliban’s months-long offensive against the Afghan defence forces that led to the ouster of Ashraf Ghani-led government disrupted the work at government offices and several schools were closed. But the group has defended the disruption saying the schools were already closed due to the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19).
“Schools for boys and girls were closed before us because of Covid. When Kabul fell to our hands, all schools were closed already. Schools in provinces were closed already. We have started reopening the schools,” Tolo News quoted Muttaqi as saying.