Ending Afghan War Remains Nothing More Than A Daydream – OpEd

The United States recently drafted proposals to end the conflict in Afghanistan, but its several features are being opposed by Taliban. The ‘Peace Plan’ calls for the current Afghan constitution to serve as the framework for a future constitution, elections and power sharing, all of which have been flatly rejected by the Taliban in the past.

The plan was sent on 28th February this year to Afghan government and Taliban by Zalmay Khalilzad, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation.

The proposal includes three parts: 1) Guiding Principles for Afghanistan Future, 2) Transitional Peace Government and Political Roadmap, and 3) Permanent and Comprehensive Ceasefire. All the three negate Taliban’s interpretation of Islam.

The Islamic Emirate has been engaged in a struggle and Jihad for the past one and a half decade to establish an Islamic government in Afghanistan. They have increased political efforts to come to mutual understanding with the world in order to solve the current ongoing situation.

Taliban insist that this understanding does not mean stopping Jihad or accepting the constitution of the stooge Kabul administration. Islamic Emirate is utilizing its political wing alongside its military presence and Jihad to realize the national and Islamic aspirations of the nation and its martyrs.

At the Moscow conference in November 2018, Taliban had said that the Afghan constitution has been copied from the West and has been imposed on Afghanistan’s Muslim society under the shadow of occupation.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan believes that the Constitution must be based on principles of Islamic religion, national interests, historical achievements and social justice. The Taliban has insisted that only Islamic scholars of its liking can draft a new constitution.

The future Constitution should provide for free and fair elections for Afghanistan’s national political leadership. Ultimate authority to take decisions of paramount national importance rests with the country’s elected government officials. 

In March 2020, just one week after signing Doha Agreement, Taliban issued a religious decree calling for installation of an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which will be led by Taliban Emir Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada.