Pakistan Foreign Minister says Afghan government to be formed soon
Amidst uncertainty over the Taliban's hostile takeover in Afghanistan, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Tuesday that a government will be formed within days. "We expect that a consensus government will be formed in the coming days in Afghanistan," Qureshi said. The statement came after the United States completed the withdrawal of its troops on Monday, ending its two-decade-long 'War on Terror.'
Taliban ends consultation on new government, results expected soon: Report
The Taliban has ended consultations on forming the new government and will announce the results soon, Al Jazeera reported. On Sunday, Taliban spokesman Zabihulla Mujahid had said the formation of a new government is to be completed within two weeks. The Taliban is reportedly planning an "inclusive caretaker government," which will include leaders from all ethnicities and tribal backgrounds.
Taliban appoints police chiefs, governors, mayors
Separately, the Taliban has also appointed police chiefs across Afghanistan's 34 provinces, acting government ministers, nearly all provincial governors, and mayors of several cities. However, the Taliban maintained that these appointments are temporary and most officials were already appointed before the Taliban seized power.
What will Afghanistan's new government look like?
Citing sources, Al Jazeera reported that Afghanistan's new government will be headed by 'Amir-ul momineen' or the leader of the faithful. Under him, there will be a leadership council, Rahbari Shura. The system of governance will be run under the Sharia law, the report said. There will be an interim government where ministries will be allocated to other parties which have an anti-Taliban stance.
Taliban celebrates after US completes withdrawal
Meanwhile, celebratory gunfires were reported from Kabul as the US completes its mission in Afghanistan. The Taliban fighters took control of the Kabul airport on Tuesday and proclaimed "full independence." "American soldiers left the Kabul airport, and our nation got its full independence," Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said. Notably, the war took the lives of nearly 2,500 US troops and an estimated 240,000 Afghans.
What is happening in Afghanistan?
It has been over two weeks since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. The Taliban had reportedly held discussions with Afghan politicians to form an "inclusive government" in the country that is acceptable to all. The Taliban's military victory came after the Taliban and Washington signed a peace deal last year, under which the US decided to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.
