Taliban threatens global powers, says if unrecognition continues it could become problem for world

Kabul: The Taliban have called on the US and other global powers not to waste time in recognising their government in Afghanistan, warning that failure to do so would have major problems and consequences not only for the country but the world at large.

"Our message to America is, if the un-recognition continues, Afghan problems continue, it is the problem of the region and could turn into a problem for the world," said Zabihullah Mujahid, the Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, during a press conference in Kabul.

"The reason why the Taliban and US went to war last time was that the two did not have formal diplomatic ties. The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 following September 11, 2001, attacks after the then-Taliban government refused to hand over chief the Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden." Mujahid said that the issues that led to war in the past could be resolved through negotiations and political compromise.

"Recognition was the right of the people of Afghanistan," he said, adding that the failure to do so would result in continuous seizure of Afghan assets and funds at a time when the country is faced with a severe economic and humanitarian crisis.

Since the fall of Afghanistan in August, no country has formally recognised the Taliban government.

The global community is now being engaged through delegation-level meetings by the Taliban, who are working towards assuring and establishing what they claim to be a changed image and outlook of the group as compared to the past.

Taliban delegations are meeting dignitaries of various countries, including China, while senior foreign officials have visited Kabul recently with an aim to create mutual grounds of understanding towards a more inclusive government structure in Afghanistan.

At the moment, due to non-recognition by the global community, foreign assets worth $10 billion, parked majorly in the US Federal Reserves, have been blocked.

Afghanistan has been a country, which primarily banked on foreign aids to run at least 80 per cent of its operations, is now reeling into a humanitarian crisis and an economic meltdown.

"Granting recognition to the current system is the right of Afghans and no one can deprive us of this right nor will it benefit anyone," Mujahid further said at the press conference.

On the other hand, the global community maintains that the Taliban need to live up to its public pledges of ensuring rights to Afghan women and minorities.

On the issue of female education, Mujahid claimed that "young girls in many Afghan provinces have returned to school and the issue is gradually being resolved across the country".

While the Afghanistan crisis continues to swell and worsen, it seems that the Taliban are still not ready to consider the demands of the global community and are not ready to be, what they call "directed" by any foreign country.

"We will not give this right to foreigners to direct us about how our girls should undertake educational activities. This is an internal Afghan matter," Mujahid added.