Kabul: Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar (pic above) is all set to helm the Afghan government which will be announced shortly, sources said to Reuters on Friday. The formal announcement is slated to be made on Saturday.
Baradar, who is in charge of the Taliban’s political office, will have Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the son of late Taliban co-founder Mullah Omar, and Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, in important posts to support him.
“All the top leaders have arrived in Kabul, where preparations are in final stages to announce the new government,” a Taliban official told Reuters, on condition of anonymity.
However as speculated earlier, Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme religious leader wouldn’t be part of the government but instead “focus on religious matters and governance within the framework of Islam,” another source informed.
Meanwhile raising India’s concern, a Taliban member has made it amply clear that the insurgent group will not hesitate to speak in the interest of Muslims all over the world including in Kashmir. It remains to be seen how India reacts to this stance as it is still indecisive on its stance towards the Taliban.
