Islamabad:
Opposition leaders and Afghanistan civil society activists, supported by Geneva women for Afghanistan (WFA), demanded the creation of a full -fledged political bureau in Islamabad to increase pressure on the Afghan interim government, arguing that the Islamic emirate of the Taliban does not represent the Afghan people.
Speaking at a two -day camera conference organized in a private hotel in Islamabad by Sassi University – promulgated by the Parliament of Pakistan – participants in Afghanistan and Pakistan called for “peaceful pressure tactics” in the first phase.
Some have gone further, demanding that Islamabad has officially opened political offices for Afghan opposition groups until their requests are satisfied.
Afghan and Afghan political and social figures, notably the former deputy and activist for women’s rights Fawzia Koofi, the former governor of Kabul Ahmed Ullah Alizai, the politician of Badakhshan Aman Ullah Paiman and the activist Raheel Talash.
The conference, funded by UN women, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), based in the United States, and the Swiss Federal Federal Foreign Department (FDFA) (FDFA), was formulated as an effort to build a collective vision of a Pacific Afghanistan. But the participants were frank to reject Taliban domination.
“The Taliban came to power by force under an agreement. We reject their government and end it illegal,” said media participants.
Fawzia KOOFI underlined the regional role of Pakistan: “Pakistan is the largest regional player and its policies have an impact on its neighbors. This is why we held the first phase of this session in Islamabad, and other conferences will follow.”
She noted that Afghanistan is home to 18 million women who are not represented under the domination of the Taliban. “A group cannot make decisions for ninety percent from the country,” she said.
“When women are not allowed to work, study or participate in public life, disasters follow. In Kunar, women have been excluded from rescue work and more women and children have died,” added Koofi.
“Peaceful way to follow”
Former General Ijaz rejected the assertions that the rally has been designed only as a pressure tactic. “It is not a question of putting pressure on the Emirat-E-Islami Afghanistan, but of discussing the path to follow by peaceful means,” he said.
At the same time, he admitted: “We accept the fact that TTP has blood spots on their hands, but we still want peaceful and significant talks with the Afghanistan Emirat-Elamistan.”
The main journalist Tahir Khan told the Peshawar office of L’Express PK Press Club that despite the denial of the organizers, the agenda was clear during the discussions. “Yes, some participants demanded that Islamabad establish an office for members of the Afghan opposition,” he said.
When asked why the Taliban had not been invited, the participants explained that, as the conference was only an initial phase, their inclusion was not considered appropriate.
