Taliban Official Claims Inclusive Governance Amid Criticism Over Lack of Diversity

Noorul Haq Anwar, head of the Taliban’s administrative affairs, asserted at a conference in Kabul that no other structure in Afghanistan has been as inclusive as the Taliban administration. However, this claim comes as the Middle East Institute reported that over 90 percent of the Taliban’s leadership and administrative structure belong to a single ethnic group, raising serious questions about the criteria for inclusivity within the administration. Based on these reports and field observations, women have been entirely excluded from the Taliban cabinet and decision-making levels, holding no role in government management. Critics argue that the absence of ethnic diversity and the exclusion of women contradict the widely accepted definition of inclusiveness. So far, the Taliban administration has not provided a clear or practical response to these criticisms.