Farooq Abdullah backs new Taliban 'govt' in Afghanistan; urges talks with other nations

Srinagar, Sep 08: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday hoped that the Taliban would run a good government in Afghanistan.

"I hope they (Taliban) will deliver good governance following Islamic principles in that country (Afghanistan) & respect human rights. They should try to develop friendly relations with every country," Farooq Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.

The Taliban on Tuesday unveiled a hardline interim government led by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, with key roles being shared by high-profile members of the terror terror group, including a specially designated global terrorist of the dreaded Haqqani Network as the interior minister.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will be Akhund's deputy in the "new Islamic government".

The announcement of key figures in the caretaker government in Afghanistan comes weeks after the Taliban seized control of war-torn Afghanistan, ousting the previous elected leadership which was backed by the West.
UN-designated terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani is also part of the interim Taliban government. Haqqani, a specially designated global terrorist and son of the famous anti-Soviet warlord Jalaluddin Haqqani who founded Haqqani Network, is the new acting interior minister in the 33-member Cabinet that has no woman member.

Haqqani has been one of two deputy leaders of the Taliban since 2016 and has a USD 10 million US bounty on his head. Khalil Haqqani, Sirajuddin's uncle, was appointed as acting minister for refugees.

Two other members of the Haqqani clan were also named to positions in the interim government, indicating the role of Pakistan in the Taliban-run government.