The Taliban"s final
government line-up added nothing substantial to make it more inclusive of ethnic minorities or even women, as reported by Afghan Analysts Network on 7 October 2021. A report by The Diplomat on 5 October 2021 shows that observers see a
dƒ©jƒ -vu of the 1990s.
World Watch Research (WWR) analyst Thomas Muller comments: "The Diplomat"s report is sobering. With quotes taken from articles published more than twenty years ago, it shows that hope had been high at that time that the Taliban would be willing to respect human rights and prioritize topics high on the list of international attention. However, it was not to be and it is unlikely that the stance of the Taliban will change. Their grip on power is being challenged by the Islamic State group (ISKP), as was shown by its
attack on a Hazara Shiite mosque in northern Kunduz which killed at least 46 (AP News, 8 October 2021). This illustrates how minorities are being targeted from different sides. In its first meeting with their US counterparts since taking over the government, the Taliban reportedly
ruled out any form of cooperation with the USA on fighting ISKP (AP News, 10 October 2021)."
Thomas Muller adds: "In neighboring Pakistan, several groups are
cheering the Taliban takeover, as the Diplomat reported on 30 September 2021. Also, as highlighted in an
August 2021 report by WWR, many Islamist elements in Asia and Africa (and beyond) have been inspired by the developments in Afghanistan and this is true for the many radical Islamic groups in neighboring Pakistan, too. This is the possible background to a recent statement by Prime Minister Imran Khan concerning domestic violence and forced conversions. In a
discussion with Islamic scholars, he promised that under his government no laws "˜in direct conflict with the teachings of Islam" would be enacted (The News PK , 29 September 2021). Under Khan, the advice of Islamic scholars has been sought for virtually all government policy-making."
