Taliban to Present Roadmap for 'Inclusive Govt' in Afghanistan by March 2022 as 'Resistance' Talks Go On

With the Taliban regime completing four months in power in Afghanistan next week, its leadership has conveyed to the US government that it would be ready with a roadmap for an inclusive government by the end of March 2022, News18.com has learnt.

Sources told News18 that Taliban leadership in the last meeting with the US State Department’s Special Representative Thomas West has conveyed that that they need four months to conclude consultations with their top leadership to shape a roadmap for an inclusive government in the war-torn country.

Though sources added that this is just way of buying more time and it is to be seen if Taliban stood by its words. It is noteworthy that many countries, including India, have been of the view that an inclusive government should be formed in Afghanistan that represents the will of all the people of Afghanistan and has representation from all sections of their society, including major ethno-political forces in the country.

Turkey is providing space to ‘the Resistance’ for talks

The Resistance leaders are regularly meeting in Turkey to chalk out a strategy to build pressure on the Taliban regime to form an inclusive government, and ensure human rights of the women, children and minority communities are upheld, sources said, adding that Salahuddin Rabbani, Ustad Sayyaf, former vice-President Sarwar Danish, Ustad Khalili, Mohammed Masoom Stanekzai, former vice-president Karim Khalili, former interior minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar, former Head of NDS Rahmatullah Nabil are in regular touch and are holding meetings in Turkey.

It may be small or big, but resistance is there from within and outside the country and soon Amrullah Saleh and Ahmed Masood may also travel to Turkey to hold talks with other resistance leaders, the sources said.

The motive is to put pressure on Taliban to form inclusive government through diplomatic means, developing international pressure and pressure within the country, they added.

What’s interesting to note is that though countries like Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan do not provide space for such consultations, Turkey is providing it, along with Iran.

Modalities being worked out for India’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan

Sources told News18 that India and Pakistan are engaged in working out the modalities for transporting 50 thousand MT Wheat and medicines to Afghanistan through the Wagah-Attari Border. The Afghan Trucks are allowed till Wagah and trade between India and Afghanistan is going on, they said, but added that these trucks are going back empty.

They also informed that Afghanistan diplomats have suggested that the trucks going empty could be put use to send assistance back to Afghanistan, but there is no agreement as of yet.

Meanwhile, sources in Afghanistan have suggested that Indian Government should also appoint a Special Representative for Afghanistan for having direct talks with Taliban leadership, like countries such as the US, China, Pakistan, Iran and Russia have done.

2,500 Afghan Students stuck in Afghanistan

With the fall of Afghanistan, over 2,500 Afgan students, who were studying in different educational institutions in India, remain stranded in the war-torn country. They are students of Delhi University, JNU, Jamia Islamia and other institutes and cannot travel to India as there are no direct flights, and their Indian visas revoked after the fall of Kabul. Afghanistan Envoy to India, Farid Mamundzay told News18, “It’s important to bring these 2,500 students to India to resume their studies and hopefully contribute the rebuilding of Afghanistan in the future”.

Even with the Taliban taking over the country, the whole of Afghanistan is not Taliban, he added.

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