Pakistan in hurry to recognize, boost Taliban regime in Afghanistan

While the other stakeholders are restraining themselves to recognise the new Taliban regime in Afghanistan, Pakistan is in a hurry to somehow recognize and boost the caretaker "Islamic Emirate".

Paul Antonopoulos, writing in Greek City Times said that the Pakistani minister openly promoted the Taliban regime, while the official line is that recognizing the new regime should come only after the conditions that the Taliban themselves have assured, are actually met.

The Taliban had promised an inclusive government that would have representatives from non-Taliban, especially ethnic minorities and women.

An informal agreement had been reached for not resuming international flights to Kabul until these conditions were met. But Pakistan is seen as having breached it by sending the first PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) flight on September 13, and publicising it, reported Greek City Times.

While Pakistan officially insists on preconditions, the unofficial argument is made through the media.

Dawn newspaper, for example, has argued in its editorial that a world that has "no qualms" in dealing with Saudi Arabia, should not be insisting upon the nascent Kabul regime.

The unstated part of the argument is that Saudi Arabia is a monarchy that has all types of restrictions on its people in terms of religion and democratic norms.

This reference to Saudi Arabia, a leading Islamic nation, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member and the highest seat of Islam is significant, says Antonopoulos.

While the OIC has not taken a stand, so far, Riyadh has issued a statement that does not seek the Taliban to be inclusive or includes women in their government.

This is also a possible effort to go past Qatar, a rival of Riyadh, which has become the most important hub of all diplomatic and political activity on the Afghanistan front for several months now, says Antonopoulos.

The Turkish ambassador's remarks about the Taliban government also need to be seen in that light - that the provisional government is "not inclusive", that it does not have non-Taliban individuals and that other ethnic groups are not included.

A relatively liberal Turkey, when compared to Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Islamic world, also talks of including women and of "human rights", reported Greek City Times.

Every country is acting as per its own perceptions and interests, but an 'inclusive' government is the common point of all.

The unstated part here is the fear of inciting anger and disapproval of the US, the European Union and influential countries like Australia, Canada, Japan and others, besides the United Nations.

The Kabul government includes several persons who are proscribed by the UN, the US, the EU, and the Taliban as a group itself stands labelled as a 'terrorist' body through formal resolutions.

Removing the label and the restrictions and sanctions that it carries would take much conferring, consensus-building and hence, time, says Antonopoulos.

(ANI)

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