The Afghan Taliban have called for the immediate lifting of international financial and trade sanctions imposed on Kabul. This appeal was made by Zabihullah Mujahid, the head of the Afghan delegation and official representative of the Taliban (banned in Russia), during a UN-organized conference on Afghanistan held in Doha.
"Afghans have created a system to promote positive engagement with the world, but in return, they have faced sanctions and restrictions," Mujahid was quoted as saying by The News International at the conference in the Qatari capital. He further stated, "Political differences should not escalate to the point where powerful countries start using their influence to pressure our people on security, political, and economic issues." Mujahid emphasized, "Kabul has the will and desire to engage positively and improve relations with other nations."
The News International noted that Mujahid's speech carefully avoided addressing the issue of "gender apartheid" in Afghanistan, which stems from the Taliban's restrictions on women's rights and the ban on girls' education.
The two-day Doha meeting, which began on June 30, is the third UN-sponsored conference aimed at building consensus among key stakeholders on Afghanistan's future development. The previous round of talks, involving special representatives from 25 countries, was also held in Doha on February 18-19. The Taliban boycotted that meeting, objecting to the inclusion of representatives from Afghan civil society and women.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: ResoluteSupportMedia/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS