First Taliban international communication accepted

ISLAMABAD: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) that has just concluded its 20th summit at Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, while acceding what could be termed as first international diplomatic communication by Taliban administration in Afghanistan, kept its berth in the summit vacant on their request.

The ousted vice president of Afghanistan Amarullah Saleh who fled to Tajikistan, tried to occupy the seat of Afghanistan with active support of India in the robust organisation but his attempt was foiled by other member countries. Well-placed diplomatic sources told The News here Saturday that right in the outset of the summit a letter by Afghan Foreign Ministry under Mullan Amir Mutaqi was shared with some members of the SCO by the secretariat where the Kabul administration informed that the incumbent government in Afghanistan is engaged in settling down the domestic issues and the chair for Afghanistan should be kept vacant. The letter was carrying diplomatic decency. It assured the fellow members that Afghanistan would extend full cooperation for the future endeavours of the organization and continue to work for the regional peace and stability.

The sources pointed out that the communication by Taliban administration was profusely welcomed by most of the member countries while India maintained its silence and made attempts through backdoor channels to seek permission for the ousted vice president Amarullah Saleh, who was the first to make public the fleeing of his president Ashraf Ghani from Afghanistan last month.

With that he proclaimed as president in wake of Ashraf Ghani escape. Later he shifted to Punjshir but when the Taliban driven out supporter of Ammarullah Saleh from Punjshir, he too fled and got shield in Tajikistan. Russia, China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and India are the member of the SCO. The SCO summit marked the admission of Iran as a full member while Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar as observers. Afghanistan avails observer status along some other countries of the region. Pakistan welcomed Iran’s full membership and accordance of three countries of observer status. The sources pointed out that Indian delegation established clandestine contacts with Amarullah Saleh and Ahmad Masood, both fled to Tajikistan last month from Punjsher after Taliban assault and now living in suburb of Dushanbe.

The sources pointed out that Indian delegation was subdued as its prime minister Narendra Modi addressed the summit via video link who openly criticized and opposed Taliban government in harsh tone. He said that international community shouldn’t be in a rush to recognize the new Taliban government due to its “non-inclusive” nature and the way in which it was formed, without following negotiated path. The sources pointed out that Pakistan’s delegation in the summit and even on the brinks of it was the most sought after but it was lacking in clear picture of its line of action.

The sources said that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had several meetings in short span of time in Dushanbe with his visiting counterparts but he avoided in shaking hands with India minister for external affairs Jaishankar although they were under one roof for hours.