Taliban to announce Afghan government formation today

Peshawar, Sep 03: The formation of a new Afghan government by the Taliban, has now been postponed by a day, amid reports of disagreement between the Taliban and the Haqqani network.

Mulla Abdul Ghani Baradar, Chairman of Taliban's Political Office, Doha, Qatar is likely to be the head of the Taliban Government.

More than two weeks after the Taliban took over Afghanistan, the hardline Islamists are all set to announce the formation of a new government in Kabul on the lines of the Iranian leadership, with the group''s top religious leader Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada as Afghanistan''s supreme authority, a senior member of the group has said.

"Consultations are almost finalised on the new government, and the necessary discussions have also been held about the cabinet," Mufti Inamullah Samangani, a senior official in the Taliban''s information and culture commission, said.

In Iran, the supreme leader is the highest political and religious authority of the country. He ranks above the president and appoints the heads of the military, the government, and the judiciary. The supreme leader has final say in the political, religious and military affairs of the country.

"Mullah Akhunzada will be the leader of the government and there should be no question on this," he said, indicating that the president will work under his oversight.

Mullah Akhunzada is the top religious leader of the Taliban and has been serving at a mosque in Kachlaak area of Balochistan province for 15 years.

Samangani said that under the new governmental set-up, governors will control the provinces, while the district governors will be in-charge of their respective districts.

The Taliban has already appointed governors, police chiefs and police commanders for provinces and districts.

The name of the new governance system, the national flag and the national anthem are yet to be finalised, he said.

with PTI inputs