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BIG STORY SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 | The Indian Eye 5

ed by members of the group’s that has normalized political
old guard. Mullah Muhammad violence and affiliation with Is-
Hassan Akhund has been ap- lamist groups. The structural
pointed as Prime Minister with support for factions within the
two deputies Mullah Abdul Mujahideen, the concerted sup-
Ghani Baradar and Molavi Ab- port for the Taliban and groups
dul Salam Hanafi. such as the Haqqani Network
Experts and political lead- are cases in point as the ISI
ers have asserted that the Tal- continues with providing funds,
iban administration will likely recruits, training, organization-
face governance issues as the al coordination, direct military
Afghan society has changed sig- support and a safe haven.
nificantly since the Taliban first Experts believe that the
lost control over the country in nomination of FBI wanted
2001. While speaking at a webi- criminal Sirajuddin Haqqani,
nar titled, “Afghanistan and the as the Interior Minister of the
region post - Taliban takeover” caretaker the government of
organised by Amsterdam based The Taliban old guard control the new regime in Kabul Afghanistan is a ‘tight slap’ on
think-tank, the European Foun- the US. Seth G Jones, a senior
dation for South Asian Studies vice president of a Washing-
(EFSAS) on Wednesday, they ton-based think tank has said
even showed concern over Af- that the new Afghan interior
ghanistan turning out to be a minister is the leader of the pro-
safe heaven for Pakistan-based scribed Haqqani network, and
terror outfits. Nargis Nehan, is on the FBI wanted list for a
former minister of Afghanistan long time Sputnik reported.
on Mines, Petroleum & Indus- “Haqqani was well known to
try, and Founder of the NGO the US military and intelligence
‘Equality for Peace and Democ- community, he escaped several
racy’, argued that the Taliban attempts to target him. He is a
cabinet, announced recently by wily and dangerous enemy with
the group, failed to represent American blood on his hands”,
both gender and ethnic diversi- Jones claimed.
ty of Afghanistan. The Taliban, The developments came
she contended further, did not Gen Faiz Hameed, the chief of ISI, in Kabul last week before the formation when the US is remember-
represent a popular mass move- of the new government ing the 9/11 attack on the twin
ment but had capitalised on en- towers that killed thousands of
demic corruption in the coun- between 1996 and 2001. Yet, the partition of British India in Americans.
try, the relative weakness of the governance difficulties 1947, Dr Vandamme argued, According to the database,
the Afghan security forces and faced by a Taliban administra- the Pakistani military establish- the man is believed to have co-
the absence of unified national tion now differ as Afghan peo- ment has focused on ensuring ordinated and participated in
leadership. ple have shown civic awareness strategic equality with India cross-border attacks against US
The Taliban’s victory was and have moved to resist the and preventing encirclement and coalition forces in Afghan-
said to be enabled by the 2020 Taliban, e.g., through public along its eastern and western istan, Author Jones said in the
Doha Agreement, which al- protests. flanks. Historically, the military Wall Street Journal.
lowed the Taliban to ultimate- “As the Afghan society has establishment has thus benefit- Sirajuddin Haqqani become
ly ignore the pursuit of a more changed significantly since the ed from upholding threat per- a wanted by the FBI after the
multi-polar peace process. Taliban first lost control over ception as high threat percep- January 2008 attack on a hotel
That said, Nehan argued that the country in 2001, the new tions validate and legitimize in Kabul that killed six people,
the military situation deterio- Taliban administration is likely the existence and dictating role including an American citizen,
rated more rapidly than com- to face various governance is- of the Pakistani army internally Sputnik reported.
monly anticipated and has now sues,” she said. in Pakistan as well as external- The Taliban appointed sev-
reached a stage where the Tali- Dr Dorothee Vandamme, ly. The reproduction of alleged eral hardliners in its new gov-
ban’s victory is treated as a fait Centre for the Study of Crises national security threats here- ernment who oversaw the 20-
accompli by the international and International Conflicts, with provides the military es- year fight against the US-led
community, which has adopted EFSAS Research Fellow & tablishment with a power base. military coalition. The Haqqa-
a tactic of “wait and watch”. Research Fellow at Genesys In regard to the Pakistani ni group is known as the ‘right
The Taliban’s social poli- Network, primarily focused Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI), arm’ of the Taliban and assisting
cy and ideological orientation, her presentation on the role described by Dr Vandamme the caretaker government in
Nehan argued, did not diverge of the Pakistani military estab- as having an almost ‘mythical’ Afghanistan.
significantly from that of the lishment in the modern trajec- reputation, she argued that the In New Delhi, MEA S Jais-
first Taliban regime in power tory of Afghanistan. Following ISI has long adopted a strategy Continued on next page... >>

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