‘No Democracy, Sharia Will Be Followed’, Taliban Leader Reveals Council Will Govern Afghanistan

New Delhi: While the Taliban has repeatedly said that the new government in Afghanistan will be ‘much different than it was 20 years ago, senior Taliban commander Waheedullah Hashimi has made it clear that there will be no democratic system at all in the country and Sharia law will be strictly implemented.

Speaking to news agency Reuters, Waheedullah Hashimi said that the group is still finalising how they will govern the country but there will be no democracy as it has no base in Afghanistan.  “We will not discuss what type of political system should we apply in Afghanistan because it is clear. It is sharia law and that is it,” Hashimi told Reuters.

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Council to govern the country

 Hashimi further said that a council will govern the country overseeing the day-to-day activity while the supreme leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhundzada, is likely to remain the overall in-charge.

It is to be noted that, Taliban followed a similar type of governance when it had ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. At that time, supreme leader Mullah Omar remained in the shadows and everyday governance was the responsibility of the council. 

Who will be the new president of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan?

While speculations are rife that one of the founding members of the group, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is likely to be the president of the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. But Hashimi said any of the three deputies of Haibatullah Akhundzada might play the role of president.

Apart from Baradar, the other deputies are Mawlavi Yaqoob, son of Mullah Omar who founded the Taliban, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, a leader of the powerful militant Haqqani network.

Recruitment of soldiers and pilots

Hashimi said that The Taliban are planning to recruit pilots who worked for the Afghan government as the group does not have pilots.  The Taliban seized helicopters and aircrafts of the war-torn country and is now in contact with pilots to join their force.

“And we have asked them to come and join, join their brothers, their government. We called many of them and are in search of (others’) numbers to call them and invite them to their jobs,” Hashimi told Reuters.

Apart from the air force, the Taliban are planning to build a new national army including their members and Afghan soldiers.

“Most of them have got training in Turkey and Germany and England. So we will talk to them to get back to their positions. Of course, we will have some changes, to have some reforms in the army, but still, we need them and will call them to join us,” Hashimi further said.