Taliban Contact Commission Head Says Current Regime Has No Alternative in Afghanistan

Shahabuddin Dilawar, head of the Taliban’s Contact Commission with Afghan personalities, warned that the collapse of the current administration could push Afghanistan toward crisis and “anarchy.” Speaking at a meeting in Kabul, he emphasized that there is no practical alternative to the Taliban government and that opponents should not attempt to create parallel structures.

Dilawar rejected calls for an inclusive government and critically referred to political factions from the republican era, stating that those groups themselves lacked democratic structures. He added that leadership within some factions was inherited, and this experience could not be regarded as an example of genuine participation. These remarks come while the demand for an inclusive system and political participation remains a serious domestic and international demand of the Taliban administration.

The head of the Taliban Contact Commission also claimed that the current administration has, for the first time in nearly five decades, managed to control political and military divisions. According to him, previously, there were “islands of power” in some parts of the country, with influential local figures resisting decisions from the central authority. He specifically named Atta Mohammad Noor, the former governor of Balkh during the republican era, and stated that now every order from the Taliban leadership is executed without opposition.

Dilawar cited nationwide security as one of the Taliban administration’s achievements and claimed that in the past year alone, 190,000 tourists visited Panjshir province, which he said was previously considered a “closed area” for many citizens. This is despite ongoing criticism from human rights organizations and segments of Afghan society regarding extensive social and political restrictions in the country.

Addressing the issue of international recognition, he said that if he were in the position of U.S. officials, he might also refrain from recognizing the Taliban government. Dilawar added that the United States has suffered a heavy defeat in Afghanistan and that formal acceptance of the Taliban could carry domestic political costs for Washington.

In conclusion, the Contact Commission head once again called on Afghan politicians living abroad to return to the country but noted that if they choose not to return, the Taliban administration will continue its work. This invitation comes as many exiled political figures cite the lack of legal guarantees and genuine power-sharing as obstacles to their return.