Afghan Taliban chief asks officials to drop word “caretaker”

ISLAMABAD: Afghan Taliban supreme leader Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada has asked officials not to use the word “caretaker” for the government. Taliban have been using the word caretaker for their government and ministers since they took control of Kabul in August 2021.

The Taliban leader issued a directive in a message on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of their government. Taliban fighters had entered the Presidential Palace on Aug 15, 2021, after then President Ashraf Ghani left the country and now living in exile in the United Arab Emirates.

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“All ministers and cabinet members of the Islamic Emirate should not use the word ‘caretaker’,” the Taliban chief said in the message issued in Pashto and Dari languages.

“The fourth year of the great victory and liberation of Afghanistan from the occupation of America and its allies by the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate, with the help of Allah Almighty, has been completed,” Sheikh Hibatullah said as the Taliban are holding functions across the country to celebrate what they called victory.

Taliban had struck a withdrawal deal with the United States in Doha, Qatar, on Feb. 29, 2020. However, a broad-based government could not be established due to the failure of the intra-Afghan dialogue. Taliban rulers have rejected calls for establishing an inclusive set-up and insist they have given representation to all nationalities.

“For almost fifty years, the Afghans have endured immense hardships and made immense sacrifices to establish a holy Sharia system in Afghanistan. After the end of the occupation, Afghanistan has become the owner of a holy Sharia system after several decades, peace has come to the entire country,” the Taliban leader said.

Afghan political leaders including former President Hamid Karzai and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, have been urging the Taliban to seek recognition from their own people before asking the world.

The Taliban chief while highlighting achievements of his government said that the Taliban have saved the public from corruption, oppression, usurpation, drugs, theft, robbery, and looting in the light of Sharia law.

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“A good foundation has been laid for the development and reconstruction of Afghanistan, and our compatriots have been freed from linguistic, ethnic, regional, party, and other differences. These are great divine gifts that our people should cherish,” he said.

Sheikh Hibatullah also prayed for the victory to the Muslims of Palestine in his message.