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12-09-2021
By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report + Agencies
KABUL/ ISLAMABAD/ WASHINGTON/ SHANKSVILLE: The Taliban, who recently announced an interim government after taking control of Afghanistan, have cancelled the inauguration ceremony, according to a member of the Taliban’s cultural commission.
“The new Afghan government’s inauguration ceremony had been cancelled a few days ago,” Inamullah Samangani, the Taliban member said on the micro-blogging website.
“To avoid further confusion, the leadership of the Islamic Emirate (as the Taliban refer to themselves) announced the part of the Cabinet, which has already begun working.”
Inamullah did not specify a future date for the event.
The Taliban member dismissed previously circulated media reports that the inauguration would be held on September 11, and termed them as mere “rumours.”
Several foreign and regional media outlets previously reported that the Taliban are making arrangements for the inaugural of the new Afghan government on September 11, 2021 – the 20th anniversary of 9/11 attacks.
According to media reports, several countries including Russia, Iran, China, Qatar, and Pakistan were invited to the ceremony.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the invitation, said that Russia would not take part in the Taliban-government ceremony in any capacity.
Interim govt
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had on Tuesday announced the first members of a new “acting” government, three weeks after the group swept into full power with the takeover of Kabul.
“The cabinet is not complete, it is just acting,” Zabihullah Mujahid had said in a press conference at the Government Information and Media Centre in Kabul.
“We will try to take people from other parts of the country,” he had added.
The list for the interim government contains 33 names. Some of the key appointments are outlined below:
Taliban veteran, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund
Acting prime minister
Taliban co-founder, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar
Acting deputy prime minister
Taliban negotiator in Doha, Amir Khan Muttaqi
Acting foreign minister
Abas Stanikzai
Acting deputy foreign minister
Son of Taliban founder and late supreme leader Mullah Omar, Mullah Yaqoob
Acting defense minister
Leader of the feared Haqqani network, Sirajuddin Haqqani
Acting interior minister
Afghanistan wants positive relations with world: Haqqani
Afghanistan’s newly appointed acting Interior Minister Mullah Sirajuddin Haqqani Saturday said that they wanted positive relations with all the neighboring countries and the world in the light of Islamic principles and their national traditions.
Mullah Sirajuddin Haqqani was introduced at a high-level meeting in Kabul on Friday, which was also attended by a number of prominent personalities from across the country.
Addressing the introductory session, Haqqani said that their policy was clear. “We wanted to end the occupation of our land and establish an Islamic system, which the Almighty gave us,” he added.
He maintained, “We do not interfere in anyone’s affairs, we ask others not to interfere in our affairs.”
The interior minister congratulated the Mujahideen, the Afghan people and the entire Islamic world on the “great victory” and prayed for all the martyrs.
“Today, the Almighty has given us what millions have sacrificed for, which is the Islamic system. Now we will thank the Almighty in words and deeds.”
He further said, “The practical thanking is that when you and I run this system in the way that Allah has commanded us. Let’s not call our will as Sharia, if we go against Sharia then it is ungratefulness for this blessing, Allah forbid, Allah will take this blessing back from us.”
Responsibility and leadership is not someone’s right but it is a divine trust given to the worthy people, he said, adding, “I do not consider myself worthy for this heavy responsibility but for the leaders who have entrusted me with this divine trust, I ask Allah’s help and I ask your cooperation, as you have helped us in every way during the difficult days of Jihad.”
“The people must have the satisfaction that we are your sons and your brothers, we have reached here with your help and cooperation, we still need your cooperation, this system is yours. We will not be able to run it without your cooperation and for the security and development of your comfortable life, we will do everything we can, God willing,” he added.
Haqqani directed the Taliban to obey their leaders as they did during the Jihad. “Do not be deceived by war spoils and other materialistic things and positions. Do not spoil the good deeds of your past jihad with material things. These are mortal things. Do not spoil your best deeds with them,” he added.
The Afghanistan’s interior minister said that their people were oppressed. “Don’t treat them badly. You are not their rulers but the servants of the people, so don’t hurt anyone, if anyone does so it’s a personal mistake of theirs and their misbehavior,” the minister added.
He said that it is not a matter of policy, in such problems the people should appeal to the authorities; the perpetrators will be punished according to Sharia.
“Finally, I want to remind everyone that the amnesty we offered is not a political amnesty but a sharia law based, because it has taken the thought of revenge out of our hearts,” he added.
He also asked the attendees to not use inappropriate words for former officers and soldiers such as criminals, murderers, slaves, etc.
Meanwhile, the US President Joe Biden, speaking unexpectedly during a visit to the Pennsylvania site of one of the 9/11 plane crashes, again defended the widely criticized withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying the US could not “invade” every country where Al-Qaeda is present.
“Could Al-Qaeda come back (in Afghanistan)?” he asked in an exchange with reporters outside a Shanksville fire station. “Yeah but guess what, it’s already back other places.
“What’s the strategy? Every place where Al-Qaeda is, we’re going to invade and have troops stay in? C’mon.”
Biden said it had always been a mistake to think Afghanistan could be meaningfully united.
Biden said American forces had achieved their central mission when a Special Forces team killed Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011 in a compound in Pakistan.
The US intervention in Afghanistan began after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, eventually drawing the US, joined by key allies, into its longest war.
Biden had begun his day Saturday in Manhattan, attending a televised ceremony marking the September 11 attacks there.
He had not been scheduled to make public remarks but asked by a reporter about the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and a subsequent drop in his poll numbers, he shrugged it off.
“I’m a big boy,” Biden said. “I’ve been doing this a long time”, but he also alluded clearly to one source of that criticism, former President Donald Trump.
Referring to “the stuff that’s coming out of Florida,” he mentioned a recent statement that if General Robert E. Lee, who led the troops of the pro-slavery Confederacy during the Civil War, “had been in Afghanistan, we would have won.”
The assertion about Lee came in a statement from Trump, who now lives in Florida.
