Taliban names non-Pashtoon leader Abdul Latif Nazari as Deputy Minister of Economy

In a latest development, Abdul Latif Nazari has been named as Deputy Minister of Economy by the Taliban on Saturday, December 25. According to a report by Khaama Press, Nazari holds a PhD degree and has served as a lecturer at a University in Kabul. "Latif Nazari has been appointed as professional Deputy Minister of the Economy. Doctor Abdul Latif Nazari is a Hazara brother and has ability in the area of economy," Zabiullah Mujahid, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture and spokesperson of the Taliban, wrote on Twitter. He further stated that Nazari's appointment was made through a decree by the Taliban's Supreme Leader, Mullah Hebtullah Akhundzada.

It is to be mentioned here that Nazari is not the first non-Pashtoon (Hazara) leader in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's interim government. Earlier, another non-Pashtoon, Doctor Hassan Ghyasi was named Deputy Minister of Public Health in Afghanistan. After taking over the control of Kabul in mid-August, the Taliban announced a 33-member interim cabinet that neither had women nor was inclusive. Since then, the Taliban is also struggling to gain international recognition.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, December 25, the Taliban leadership welcomed the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) decision to exempt a number of high-ranking Taliban officials from the travel ban. The UNSC has decided to exempt senior Taliban leaders from the travel ban for 90 days, from December 22, 2021, to March 21, 2022. Leading Islamic Emirate officials such as Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai have been exempted primarily for travel to participate in peace and stability discussions in other countries. 

Taliban calls for removal of their officials from UN and US blacklists

Inamullah Samangani, a spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has demanded that Taliban officials be removed from the UN and US blacklists. He stated that the removal should have been done a long time ago, ANI reported citing Khaama Press. As many as 14 members of the Taliban's interim administration in Kabul are on the UN Security Council's terrorism blacklist, including acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund. Meanwhile, the UN has decided to allocate $8 billion in aid to Afghanistan for the coming year in order to help the war-ravaged country to recover its deteriorating economy. 

With inputs from ANI

Image: Twitter/@Zabehulah_M33