Afghanistan, which is facing multiple crises - international aid has largely
dried up since the Taliban toppled the US-backed government last August,
winter has brought widespread food shortages to an already crippled economy,
and millions face famine, as the worst drought for two centuries shows no sign of easing. Women
face new restrictions and are largely shut out of public life, and there are reports of widespread
violence against people who worked for the former government. The Taliban has been pushing for
international recognition of its government. So far, no country has recognized the regime.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi speaks for the Taliban’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.
He joins us from Afghanistan's capital, Kabul. Welcome to DW.
Thank you for having me.
Why should the international community recognize and therefore legitimize the
Taliban given your track record on human rights?
The current government of Afghanistan, the new government that has come to power is a manifest
reality, and the world needs to engage with it, as the government that is currently in place has
actually fulfilled the criteria for a body to be recognized as official state, according to under
international law and in accordance with Article One of the Montevideo Conference 1933. There are
four essentials that they need to fulfill. Number one is that it has to have defined geography.
Two is that it has to have permanent population in that geography, three
is that the government has to provide governance, the people ruling have to provide governance.
And the fourth criteria is that the government has to have the capability of
creating and establishing relations with foreign nations. So in our view,
it is the right of the Afghan people. They have decided upon supporting this new government...
So you have … forgive me for interrupting. I understand what
you said, but what you’ve said is that Afghanistan, the Taliban government,
has fulfilled criteria laid down. That doesn't explain, that doesn't tell us,
what is, how it will benefit countries like like Great Britain or Germany or the United
States. How will they benefit from dealing with and therefore legitimizing a Taliban government?
To call it, term it as a Taliban government is incorrect, this is the government,
a representative government of the people of Afghanistan. It did not come here through an
airplane. It was not air dropped. The leadership was not air dropped. It was
not backed by foreign forces. It is the people of Afghanistan that this new government represents,
and for the world, it is absolutely necessary. It is imperative to engage with this new government
and accept the unique, the uniquity of the Afghan people for what it is and engage with it in dialog
if there is any outstanding issues. It can all be resolved through dialog and engagement.
Using pressure tactics is not the answer to the problems that Afghanistan is facing.
Understood. Are girls still being excluded from education in Afghanistan?
No, that statement is only half the truth. It is not the complete truth.
In Afghanistan from primary all the way to university levels, all women are allowed to attend
school and attain education on public sector from grade one to six. All girls attending school
and in a conservative society like Afghanistan that comprises the majority of female students.
And we have up to 12 to 13 provinces where girls are attending from grade seven all the way to 12.
And the government, the state policy is that we will give every right
to the female members of our society that comprise half the population, their right to work,
their right to education and every single other right that has been afforded to them in Islam.
So you say that you will give them every right under Islam? As far as the non-Islamic world
is concerned, women have fewer rights, women in Afghanistan have fewer rights than
men. And just so we're clear, you justify that because you say that is laid down in the Quran.
That is correct, the people of Afghanistan have fought valiantly against two superpowers for 43
years for this exact purpose to establish Islamic law. And in an Islamic society, Afghanistan as a
population is 99.9 percent Muslim. So it is only correct that Islam be implemented on this land.
Is it true that Afghan women who protested against restrictions on their freedoms in
September were assaulted with rifle butts, tear gas and metal clubs by Afghan fighters?
No, I have not heard of such reports. I've seen reports of our security forces preventing the
protests. That is because the protests were… There were guidelines given by the Ministry of Interior
that [for] protests to take place, they have to first coordinate
with the Ministry of Interior about the place and timing. So there is no commotion and no
problems for people that are going about their regular work.
Does Afghanistan have a free press?
Afghanistan has a very free and vibrant press, there's there's no doubt about it. If you
were here in Kabul, in Afghanistan, you would see
channels ranging from AFP all the way to Al Jazeera to DW, members of DW. I myself have
signed their letter of permission for work. And as for all the media that was present previously,
are all active. Unfortunately, I do have to say that some media houses have closed down,
but that is not because of us. It is because they have run out of funding. They were funded by
foreign donors and they have run out of their funding, so they had to close down.
So the Taliban has issued guidelines restricting
journalism that they say “contradicts Islamic or Afghan values”. Explain to us what that means.
That basically means that the laws that are sensitive to this society, for example,
the laws of blasphemy. In a Western nation it could be perfectly correct
to, you know, carry out such activities. But in a society like Afghanistan that is very
conservative, that has gone through 40 years of constant war, such practices are not allowed.
Right. Afghanistan's economy has collapsed. It's undergoing a humanitarian crisis. We
understand that targeted killings are on the increase and your health care system is on the
brink of collapse. This is as you face a pandemic. Just explain to us how the people of Afghanistan,
the men and the women have benefited from the Taliban controlling the country.
Well, the benefit is that we finally have peace, we don't have killings. We had between 200 to 300
innocent souls lost every single day in Afghanistan due to the war, the brutal war,
the aggression that was carried out against the peace-loving people of Afghanistan. So that is
one of the… and the basis the foundation of any state is that it has to provide security to its
constituency, to its citizens. So that is one of the greatest benefits that the people of
Afghanistan had been yearning for 40 years. And the collective punishment they are facing from
the international community is very sad. It is very unfortunate. They are threatened with mass
starvation because they finally have peace and they have attained their sovereignty.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi from the Taliban Foreign Affairs Ministry, thank you for talking to DW.
Thank you for having me. It was my pleasure.