Taliban hails PM for Afghan peace efforts

DM Monitoring

KABUL: Taliban spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Information and Culture Zabihullah Mujahid Tuesday praised Prime Minister Imran Khan, acknowledging his efforts to promote peace in Afghanistan. Speaking to Afghan media in Kabul, Mujahid said countries were criticising the Taliban government for human rights violations without recognising it.
“We think this is a unilateral point of view,” he stressed.
Mujahid called on all those criticising the Taliban to recognise its government in Afghanistan and “behave responsibly” towards it. He said that those who recognise the Taliban administration in Afghanistan can then raise issues legally with the new government.
“We will work towards resolving their concerns a fter they recognise the Afghan government,” he said.
Mujahid revealed that the Afghan government had arrested people from two groups for their alleged involvement in recent attacks in the Nangarhar province. He said that the people of Afghanistan harboured hate for Daesh.
“Our operations against Daesh have been successful in the past,” said the deputy minister, adding that the Taliban knew how to deal them a technical blow.
He condemned the terrorist incidents in Nangarhar and Jalalabad, adding that the new government will soon restore peace to the areas.
Mujahid said that the group did not want any country to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal issues. He, however, added that the Taliban would welcome cooperation from the international community.
“Afghanistan will see stability soon, despite challenges,” he said.
Speaking about the new appointments to the federal Afghan cabinet, the Taliban announced that Haji Nooruddin Azizi, a prominent figure from Panjshir, has been appointed as the country’s acting Minister of Commerce.
Haji Mohammad Bashir, a resident of Baghlan, has been appointed by the Taliban as the first deputy minister of commerce while Haji Mohammad Azim Sultan Zada as the second deputy minister.
The Taliban have appointed Qalandar Ib ad as acting head of the Ministry of Public Health, Abdul Bari Omar, and Mohammad Hassan Ghiasi as his deputies.
In the new appointments, Mullah Mohammad Ibrahim has been appointed as the senior deputy security minister of the Ministry of Interior.
Nazar Mohammad Motamin has also been appointed as the director of the National Olympic Committee.
Zabihullah said that girls will soon be allowed to go to school, adding that the government was making final arrangements for it.