Islamabad:
Opposition leaders and civil society activists from Afghanistan, supported by Geneva-based women for Afghanistan (WFA), have demanded the establishment of a full political office in Islamabad to increase the pressure on the Afghan temporary government and argued that the Taliban Islamic Emirate does not represent the Afghan people.
When we spoke at a two-day closed door conference hosting at a private hotel in Islamabad by Sassi University-adopted by parliament in Pakistan-up-demanding participants from Afghanistan and Pakistan for “peaceful pressure tactics” in the first phase.
Some went ahead and demanded that Islamabad formally open political offices for Afghan opposition groups until their demands were met.
Prominent Afghan political and social figures participated, including former MP and women’s rights activist Fawzia Koofi, ex-Cabul 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), were framed as an effort to build a collective vision for a peaceful Afghanistan. But the participants were blunt in rejecting the Taliban government.
“Taliban came to power by force under an agreement. We reject their government and denote it illegally,” the participants told the media.
Fawzia Koofi emphasized Pakistan’s regional role: “Pakistan is the largest regional player and its policies influence its neighbors. Therefore, we held the first phase of this session in Islamabad and several such conferences will follow.”
She noted that Afghanistan is home to 18 million women who remain unrepresented under the Taliban rule. “A group can’t make decisions for ninety percent of the country,” she said.
“When women are not allowed to work, study or participate in public life, disasters follow. In Kunar, women were excluded from rescue work and more women and children died,” Koofi added.
‘Peaceful Way Forward’
Former General Ijaz rejected claims that the collection was designed solely as a press tactic. “This is not about pushing 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 has blood stains on their hands, but still we want peaceful and meaningful conversations with Emirate-e-Islami Afghanistan.”
Senior journalist Tahir Khan told The Express Tribunes Peshawar office that despite the organizer’s denial, the agenda became clear during discussions. “Yes, some participants demanded that Islamabad set up an office for Afghan opposition members,” he said.
When asked why the Taliban had not been invited, the participants explained that when the conference was only in an initial phase, their inclusion was not considered appropriate.
