Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, derided the international community’s demands during a gathering in Kabul on Tuesday, calling their requests “laughable.”
The international community has primarily urged the Taliban to respect human rights and women’s rights and freedoms in Afghanistan.
“It’s laughable. The world asks us how we are addressing drug control, ensuring security, and preventing the misuse of Afghan territory by various groups. Their demands are high, but their cooperation is zero,” Muttaqi said.
In contrast, Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s deputy chief minister for political affairs, presented a different narrative regarding the Taliban’s global interactions.
He claimed that their international relations are improving, stating that the Taliban currently maintain 38 active political offices worldwide. However, Kabir did not specify the locations of these offices.
“We have active relations with many countries, including our neighbors and regional partners. We currently maintain 38 active political offices globally, and, God willing, these relations are expanding,” Kabir said.
Previously, about five months ago, Kabir had claimed at a meeting in Khost province that the Taliban had 17 active political offices outside Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban seizing power in mid-August 2021, official statements have indicated that they maintain political offices in approximately 12 countries, including Pakistan, China, Qatar, Iran, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and Azerbaijan.
Moreover, Taliban has severely restricted women’s and girls’ rights in the country, denying them the opportunity to work in NGOs, study at universities and continue education in secondary schools.
In a recent move the Taliban excluded women from bar exam in Kabul on Monday, July 22, for the third consecutive year.
