Taliban face backlash for ‘disrespecting’ host nations’ anthems

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By Ayaz Gul
VOA News
September 20, 2024

Islamabad — Pakistan and Iran have sharply criticized diplomats from the de facto Taliban government in neighboring Afghanistan for showing “disrespect” to their national anthems in breach of diplomatic norms.

The controversy arose earlier this week after the Taliban consul general, Mohibullah Shakir, and his colleague remained seated during the playing of the Pakistani national anthem at an official ceremony in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

The move triggered public outrage in Pakistan and demands for Shakir’s expulsion.

Islamabad swiftly protested and officially complained to de facto Afghan authorities in Kabul, denouncing their diplomat’s “disrespect” for the Pakistani national anthem as a “reprehensible” act and a breach of “diplomatic norms.”

Shakir’s mission office in Peshawar defended his stance and dismissed allegations of disrespect for the anthem. It said the diplomat remained seated because the anthem had music, which the Taliban consider forbidden in line with their strict interpretation of Islam. “Imagine a religious scholar standing up for music,” a consulate spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Since regaining control of Afghanistan in 2021, the radical Taliban leaders have enforced their strict interpretation of Islamic law, known as Sharia. This enforcement includes banning music, prohibiting girls’ education beyond the sixth grade, and barring Afghan women from most workplaces, among other restrictions.

However, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson rejected the Taliban’s explanation on Thursday. At a news conference in Islamabad, Mumtaz Baloch stated that Shakir’s action “hurt the sentiments of the people of Pakistan.” She cautioned that her government reserves the right to take further action in line with international diplomatic norms and practices.

“We expect any individual who enjoys a diplomatic status in Pakistan to respect those norms,” Baloch said. “We have raised this with the Afghan authorities and conveyed our strong displeasure … and we also reject the explanation that the acting Council General has given for his actions.”

Taliban’s conflicting stance

Meanwhile, Iran also has criticized the head of a Taliban delegation, Azizurrahman Mansour, a deputy minister, for not standing during the host country’s anthem at an International Islamic Unity Conference on Thursday in Tehran, where the Iranian president was in attendance.

The Foreign Ministry later summoned Taliban Acting Ambassador Fazal Mohammad Haqqani to seek clarification regarding Mansour disrespecting the national anthem.

Iranian media quoted Haqqani as reaffirming his country’s respect for Iran, claiming that Mansour’s action was “personal” and not reflective of the Afghan government’s official stance.

Mansour later stated in a formal video message that he remained seated during the Iranian national anthem in line with traditions in Afghanistan. “In our country, we sit when the song is played, and I have acted according to this custom. We apologize to the people who were upset.”

The Taliban’s explanation, though, failed to ease the outrage in Iran.

“Disrespecting diplomatic norms under the pretext of Sharia-based prohibition of music doesn’t make any sense,” Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s special envoy for Afghanistan, said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. He wrote in the local language that listening to music should also be prohibited if music is banned.

Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a prominent Iranian “reformist and senior aide to former President Mohammad Khatami,” also joined the Iranian political denunciation of the Taliban. The London-based Iran International Persian-language television channel published a translation of Abtahi’s local language X post.

“The Taliban’s disrespect toward the national anthems of Pakistan and Iran, and their refusal to stand, has ideological roots.” Abtahi further warned, “When we say that the Taliban’s ideology is more dangerous than the thousands of weapons they have, this is what we mean.”

Abtahi criticized the conference organizers for inviting the Taliban and stated that “the majority of Muslims everywhere, including in Iran, do not seek unity with the Taliban.”

Iran is a majority Shi’ite Muslim country, and the Taliban represents the majority Sunni Muslim community in Afghanistan.

No country has officially recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government in Kabul, mainly because of their restrictions on women’s access to education and public life at large.

On Thursday, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that his government controlled about 40 Afghan embassies and consulates worldwide, and that its diplomatic relations with the international community were improving.

Many Western governments, including the United States, insist that formal recognition of the Taliban depends on their actions regarding women’s rights, education for girls and women, and freedom of movement.

Vienna Summit and the Necessity of a Government in Exile

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Massoud

8am: The Vienna Summit, now recognized by the U.S. House of Representatives as the sole political opposition to the Taliban, presents a valuable opportunity for political and military opponents of the Taliban, both inside and outside Afghanistan, to unite and coordinate their efforts to form a clear alternative for a post-Taliban future. The presence of anti-Taliban groups under one roof and the issuance of joint statements from a defined political process—namely, the Vienna Summit—allow the international community to consider alternatives to the Taliban. Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, recently called for the establishment of a government in Exile by anti-Taliban forces outside the country during his remarks at a “Martyr’s Week” event. Massoud believes that creating a government in Exile could serve as a unified address for the international recognition of anti-Taliban efforts. Although he acknowledged that there is still a significant distance to cover before such a government can be formed, he urged for expedited efforts in this direction. Click here to read more (external link).

Departing NATO Chief Blames ‘House of Cards’ in Kabul For Taliban Takeover

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Jens Stoltenberg

Michael Hughes: In his farewell address as NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg suggested the weakness of the Afghan central government was decisive in the coalition failing to win the war against the Taliban, and undermined the alliance’s mission, which was justified in pursuit of countering international terrorism.

“After 20 years we were still not winning the war. The Taliban were gaining ground and there were no united Afghan authorities that could take responsibility when we left. The fact that the Afghan Government and the security forces collapsed so quickly, demonstrated why it was right to leave,” Stoltenberg said in remarks at NATO headquarters in Brussels on August 19.

Stoltenberg argued that after the shocking realization the Afghan central government was weak, it was futile for the coalition to stay two more decades.

Click here to read more.

In 90s, Taliban Made Cessation of War Conditional On Girls’ Edu Ban, Says Jamiat Party

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Burhanuddin Rabbani

Afghanistan International: The Jamiat-e-Islami party has said that in the 1990s, the Taliban had set a precondition for banning women’s education and work to stop the war against the Islamic State led by Burhanuddin Rabbani. The party wrote that Rabbani had explicitly rejected the Taliban’s offer at the time, citing religious reasons. In a statement on Thursday, on the eve of the 13th anniversary of the assassination of the party’s leader, Burhanuddin Rabbani, the Jamiat-e-Islami Party of Afghanistan wrote that Rabbani had rejected the Taliban’s proposal, stressing that he would “not succumb to illegitimate and irrational proposals and will remain committed to resistance against this group”. Click here to read more (external link).

UN Secretary-General’s Report: ISIS Mocks Taliban’s Security Claims

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8am: On Tuesday, September 17, Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, presented his report, which highlighted ISIS’s ridicule of the Taliban’s claims of providing security. The report states that ISIS-Khorasan Province (ISKP) continued its propaganda against the Taliban and the international community over the past three months. In May, they released a video mocking the Taliban’s security efforts. The report notes a 53% rise in security incidents, with 2,127 incidents recorded from May 14 to July 31. Click here to read more (external link).

Afghanistan Futsal Team Narrowly Defeated by Argentina

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Tolo News: Afghanistan’s national futsal team was defeated by Argentina in their second match of the World Cup tournament in Uzbekistan. On Wednesday night, Afghanistan’s futsal players faced their Argentine counterparts in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, ultimately losing the match 2-1. This defeat follows Afghanistan’s victory in their first World Cup match, where they defeated Angola 6-4. Afghanistan’s national futsal team will face Ukraine in their final group stage match next Saturday. Click here to read more (external link).

Other Sports News

Uzbekistan opens free economic zone on Afghan border

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By Navbahor Imamova
VOA News
September 18, 2024

Termez, Uzbekistan — Afghans longing for closer connections with the outside world are finding an outlet in the border city of Termez, where neighboring Uzbekistan invites them to visit a new international trade center aimed at boosting regional trade and creating business opportunities.

“It’s uplifting to be here, as we’ve been dreaming about creating a common market for so long. Perhaps this is the beginning of it, despite all the challenges,” said Ajmalik Nader Saghpi, a visitor from Afghanistan’s Laghman Province.

Nearby, other Afghan men approach along a dedicated corridor leading from the border control area and lounge on a green lawn in front of a prayer hall.

Branded as the Airitom Free Zone, the facility sits on the banks of the Amu Darya, a river marking the border between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan and feeding much of Central Asia. Airitom is a neighborhood in Termez, the administrative center of Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya region, which also borders Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Built at a cost of around $70 million, the zone spans 36 hectares and is guarded by special forces and police. It features a customs office and storage area capable of handling 100,000 trucks and 900,000 tons of goods a year.

It also includes a Hilton Garden Inn, a high-tech hospital, an academic campus, Uzbek and Turkish restaurants, and 50,000 square meters of business space, along with banking and legal services. It is separate from the nearby Termez Cargo Center, an international transport and logistics hub.

When VOA toured the zone in August and saw the model, managers said the site, once fully functional, is projected to generate $1.2 billion in trade and attract 1.5 million visitors a year.

“We’re not fantasizing,” said Bakhtiyor Rahimov, the zone’s manager, acknowledging challenges in the region. “We believe this is realistic because we have studied the neighboring country and others around us, surveyed businesses, and discussed our vision with Afghan leaders. We know they are keen to work with us.”

Those high hopes have been echoed by high-profile visitors including Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Taliban’s acting Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, and cabinet members from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.

Any foreigner can stay in the zone for two weeks visa-free. Visitors can conduct commerce in any currency, customs-free.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed that 40% of the space be allocated to Afghan manufacturers and traders, and up to 30% of the projected 5,000 jobs can go to them.

Hakim Yar, a businessman from Balkh, the nearby Afghan province, plans to open a couple of offices here for export-import and for an agricultural firm he runs in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif. He is satisfied with what’s available in the zone and is among those Afghans already occupying 5% of the space.

Qari Shergulan, from Nangarhar, envisions that more Afghans will come if entrepreneurs like him return home with positive experiences. He says his people are eager to seize opportunities wherever they find them and won’t waste any chance to grow.

“We have not lost our potential. We can still work, build, trade, earn, expand, and invest,” Shergulan told VOA when asked about the economic conditions in Afghanistan.

None of the Afghan visitors VOA spoke with complained about the Taliban. Instead, they praised Kabul’s cooperation with the Uzbek government and its support for efforts like the new trade center.

However, they mentioned electricity shortages, unemployment, diminishing manufacturing, and lack of opportunities across Afghanistan, particularly for youth.

Tashkent-based Central Asian University is opening a campus in the zone, promising free education and residence for 200 Afghans, as well as business training for others.

“We will soon have a visa office here,” said Mirkhamid Mirpulatov, the zone’s CEO. “Foreigners seeking work, study, or services here for a longer period can apply for visas.

“The special corridor on the border, once you cross the bridge over the Amu Darya, is only for our zone. The access is limited to this area. Those interested in doing business outside the Airitom Free Zone need additional permissions,” Mirpulatov explained.

Airitom is on the main transportation route linking Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Russia. This is a key factor for landlocked Uzbekistan, which is eager for access to ports on the Indian Ocean. The zone is also starting daily bus service between Airitom and Mazar-i-Sharif, about 60 kilometers away.

The private hospital in the zone is a branch of Tashkent-based Akfa Medline.

“The costs here are lower than in the capital,” Mirpulatov said. “Afghans have been patients for years, so offering health care here on the border simplifies everything for them.”

With 315 staff members and state-of-the-art operating and treatment facilities, Akfa Medline has adjusted its services to mainly cater to Afghans, creating separate units for men and women, something it does not do in Tashkent.

“We’re doing this out of respect for our neighbor’s culture, just as we’re not allowing alcohol in the zone,” Mirpulatov said, denying that Airitom is run under Taliban rules. “We do discuss business with them but make our own decisions.”

Uzbek tycoon behind enterprise

Jahongir Artikkhodjayev, an Uzbek business tycoon and former mayor of Tashkent, is the mastermind behind the Airitom Free Zone. Mirpulatov confirmed that the zone is under Akfa Group, one of the largest Uzbek industrial holdings, founded and run by Artikkhodjayev.

As with other major projects in the country, President Mirziyoyev entrusted Artikkhodjayev with delivering this trade center, according to Mirpulatov, who calls Artikkhodjayev his mentor.

Akfa Group secured the funds for the zone. There is no Western involvement so far, though South Asians, Russians, Chinese and Arabs have shown interest.

US view on development

When VOA asked U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick about the Airitom Free Zone, he underscored America’s overall position on Afghanistan and the Taliban.

“Broadly speaking, we support anything that helps ordinary Afghan people and contributes to stability along the border. We recognize that Uzbekistan has legitimate economic concerns that need to be addressed,” he said.

“That should be separate from the question of the Taliban’s desire for international recognition and access to funds. These issues must continue to be handled collectively by the international community through the Doha process,” under which some 30 countries have been discussing how to advance international engagement on Afghanistan.

Henick added, “We have a very strong dialogue with Uzbekistan about Afghanistan. Uzbekistan is an active participant in the Doha process. Our interests are closely aligned.”

Other Western diplomats in Tashkent agreed with Henick that recognizing the regime in Kabul, based on human rights and governance conditions, is key to normalizing relations and attracting investment.

The Taliban remain angry over a recent deal under which several dozen U.S. aircraft that were flown to Uzbekistan as the Taliban seized control in Afghanistan have been transferred to Uzbek control. But, Henick said, Washington and Tashkent maintain “a robust military and security relationship.”

At the same time, Henick told VOA: “The U.S. is the largest contributor of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan to this day. We provide enormous amounts of aid because, like Uzbekistan, we have an interest in ensuring there is no humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.”

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