THE State of Qatar, which led the mediation between the United States and the Taliban that culminated in signing of the Doha Agreement on February 29, 2020 and under which the US and its Nato allies started withdrawal of their troops from the country, is still continuing its efforts even after the Taliban forces entered the capital Kabul on Sunday.
As the ultimate goal of the State of Qatari is to bring lasting peace and stability to Afghanistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday called for an immediate, comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in all Afghan territories.
The Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, has regained control of the entire country but the State of Qatar strongly believes that there is still a need to work urgently for a peaceful transfer of power that would pave the way for a comprehensive political settlement and it should include all Afghan parties to achieve lasting security and stability in the country.
In statement the ministry reiterated the commitment of the State of Qatar to continue working with the United Nations and international partners to realize lasting peace in Afghanistan to fulfil the aspirations of its people for security, stability and development.
Qatar’s call is consistent with the calls made yesterday by the members of the UN Security Council and a call made by the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urging the Taliban and all other parties “to exercise utmost restraint to protect lives and ensure that humanitarian rights can be addressed.”
Although the Taliban says they are holding negotiations with senior politicians in order to form an “inclusive, Islamic government” with other factions, there is fear the Taliban can re-impose the harsh rules and regulations they relied on when they ran the country twenty years ago.
The way Taliban controlled different provinces and entered the capital Kabul on Sunday without a fighting gives hope that peace will prevail in Afghanistan and the various parties will give peace a priority, as sought by the State of Qatar.
The statements by Taliban officials also give hope that the peace process that began in Doha can be completed. “We ask all countries and entities to sit with us to settle any issues,” Taliban spokesman Mohammad Maeem told Al Jazeera TV.
The people of Afghanistan should be given an opportunity to decide their future themselves away from external interventions from which the Afghan people have gained nothing but wars, destruction and loss of lives for over four decades.
Our last word to the Afghans is that it is a time to rebuild what has been destroyed during years of conflicts with sanity and national consensus and get refugees and displaced persons back to their homes and meet aspirations of new generations.
