Taliban Administration Admits Failure to Meet Afghan Public Expectations
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman for the Taliban administration’s foreign ministry, has said the group has been unable to meet the general expectations of the people of Afghanistan. He cited widespread economic challenges, unemployment and international isolation as the reasons for this failure.
In an interview with CBS, Balkhi said the Taliban administration had, by its own account, performed beyond initial expectations in structural areas, but had failed to respond to the demands of society. He said economic pressure and Afghanistan’s isolation by major powers had prevented the full realization of people’s wishes.
The remarks come as the Taliban administration has controlled Afghanistan since August 2021 and has so far not been recognized by any country other than Russia. At the same time, the cost-of-living crisis and unemployment have been among the most significant difficulties facing Afghan citizens in recent years.
In another part of the interview, the Taliban foreign ministry spokesman also defended restrictions on girls’ education. In response to a question about the suspension of formal education for girls, he said governments set their rules based on priorities and national interests, and claimed that education had not been completely halted, with options such as home schooling, religious schools and online education still available.
However, the Taliban administration has banned girls above grade six from education across Afghanistan. These restrictions have faced widespread international criticism and have made Afghanistan the only country in the world where girls are denied secondary and higher education. The United Nations and human rights groups have repeatedly described this policy as a blatant violation of fundamental rights.
Balkhi also said, in response to questions about the September 11 attacks, that targeting civilians anywhere in the world is condemnable and claimed the Taliban administration’s position on this issue has not changed. Referring to the Doha agreement, he stressed that Afghan soil would not be used against any country, including the United States.
He also called for the establishment of formal diplomatic relations with all countries, including the US, and for the release of the Afghan central bank’s frozen assets. The Doha agreement was signed between the Taliban administration and the United States in February 2020, and one of its main points was preventing Afghan soil from being used to threaten the security of the US and its allies.
