Afghan opposition leaders, activists demand political office in Islamabad

Islamabad, Oct 1 (PTI) Afghan opposition leaders and civil society activists demanded the establishment of a full-fledged political office in Islamabad to increase pressure on the Afghan interim government.

Attending a two-day closed-door conference held on September 29-30 here, they argued that the Taliban's Islamic Emirate does not represent the Afghan people.

The conference titled “Towards Unity and Trust,” was hosted by the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute University (SASSI). It was backed by the Geneva-based Women for Afghanistan (WFA) and attended by at least 37 Afghan leaders, including women.

The prominent Afghan political and social figures who attended the event included former MP and women's rights activist Fawzia Koofi, ex-Kabul governor Ahmed Ullah Alizai, Badakhshan politician Aman Ullah Paiman and activist Raheel Talash.

The conference, funded by UN Women, the US-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), was framed as an effort to build a collective vision for a peaceful Afghanistan.

But participants were blunt in rejecting Taliban rule, The Express Tribune reported. The participants from Afghanistan and Pakistan called for “peaceful pressure tactics” in the first phase.

Some went further, demanding that Islamabad formally open political offices for Afghan opposition groups until their demands were met.

Senior journalist Tahir Khan told The Express Tribune's Peshawar office that despite the organisers' denial, the agenda became clear during discussions. “Yes, some participants demanded that Islamabad establish an office for Afghan opposition members,” he said.

Asked why the Taliban had not been invited, participants explained that, as the conference was only at an initial phase, their inclusion was not considered suitable.

Fawzia Koofi emphasised Pakistan's regional role: “Pakistan is the biggest regional player and its policies impact its neighbours. That is why we held the first phase of this session in Islamabad, and more such conferences will follow.” She noted that Afghanistan is home to 18 million women who remain unrepresented under Taliban rule. “One group cannot make decisions for 90 per cent of the country,” she said.

“When women are not allowed to work, study or participate in public life, disasters follow. In Kunar, women were barred from rescue work, and more women and children died,” Koofi added.

Former general Ijaz rejected claims that the gathering was designed purely as a pressure tactic. “This is not about pressuring Emirate-e-Islami Afghanistan, but about discussing the way forward through peaceful means,” he said.

At the same time, he acknowledged: “We accept the fact that TTP have blood stains on their hands, but still we want peaceful and meaningful talks with Emirate-e-Islami Afghanistan.” The dialogue was previously scheduled on August 25-26 but was postponed, apparently over criticism by some known personalities, including Zalmay Khalilzad, the former United States special envoy.

Khalilzad had termed the meeting “unwise” due to the participation of some who opposed the Taliban.

“Afghan citizens are entitled to their political views, but Pakistan’s seeming support of them by hosting their conference is hugely unwise and an intended provocation,” he wrote on X.

The event marked the first ever gathering of political opponents of the Afghan Taliban since the hardliner clerics took over the control of Afghanistan in 2021 by dislodging a government propped up by the Nato-led western alliance. PTI SH NPK NPK