abdullah: Taliban keeps ex-Afghan president Karzai, former chief executive Abdullah under virtual house arrest – Times of India
ISLAMABAD: Former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai and the country’s erstwhile chief executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah are suspected to be under house arrest in Kabul, with cautious social media interactions and occasional visits by foreign dignitaries under Taliban surveillance their only known link with the world outside.
Amid the flight of Afghan leaders and officials in the wake of the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul last year, Karzai and Abdullah had stayed back and engaged with leaders of the new regime, including the Haqqani Network, to work out the modalities for an inclusive government.
Since the announcement of an interim government last September, neither has been seen in public, strengthening speculation that they could be under virtual house arrest. Karzai lives with his family in a government accommodation in the vicinity of the presidential palace, while Abdullah stays in his personal residence.
Both are active on Twitter, although there has been no post yet even remotely critical of the performance and policies of the Taliban. Select guests, including foreign dignitaries, are allowed to meet them, but any correspondence with the duo requires the Taliban’s approval.
TOI attempted to find out why they did not opt to flee the country after the Taliban entered Kabul, by which time scores of other former officials and even warlords like Abdur Rasheed Dostum of Mazar-i-Sharif or Ismail Khan of Herat had already left.
“These leaders had been in contact with the senior Taliban leadership for a long time. Their criticism of the former president Ashraf Ghani and his government had further softened the stance of the Taliban towards them,” said Abdul Haq Omari, an Afghan journalist. “They knew beforehand of the agreement between the Taliban’s Doha office and the Americans that the group’s fighters would not enter Kabul without a formal transfer of power. They were also assured of participation in the process.”
Everything went haywire thereafter, sparked by the massive evacuation of foreign and Afghan nationals, coupled with the complete collapse of the government machinery led by former president Ashraf Ghani. Omari said it was Karzai who asked the Taliban to enter the capital to restore law and order.
“Since he and Abdullah were in contact with both the Americans and Taliban, they had a plan,” said Ali Akbar Khan, a Peshawar-based journalist who had closely monitored last year’s events in Kabul. “They were the ones who engaged with the Taliban and Haqqani Network leaders after the fall of Kabul. They had the Taliban’s ear and their emphasis on forming an ‘inclusive government’ was highlighted by media. They thought that their guidance and advice was unavoidable for the Taliban.”
Karzai and Abdullah were further emboldened by the secret visit of CIA director William Burns to Kabul and his meeting with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the current Afghan deputy prime minister. A role in the future Afghan government for both was allegedly discussed in that meeting.
The Taliban’s plan, which was kept a secret until the announcement of their government, turned out to be completely the opposite of what Karzai and Abdullah had expected. The new Afghan government was neither inclusive, nor did it have any representation for women. Another move that surprised many within and outside the country was Mullah Baradar, till then believed to be the prime candidate for head of government, being made deputy PM along with Abdul Salam Hanafi, another Taliban leader.
Both Karzai and Abdullah are, however, still considered valuable by the Taliban. “The regime realises that both are prominent Afghan figures having global acceptance and recognition. Instead of allowing them to leave the country, they think their stay in the country would be more beneficial,” said Syed Waqas Shah, a Pakistani journalist who covered the war against terror in Afghanistan for over a decade.
According to him, the Taliban believes that Karzai or Abdullah living abroad and being openly critical of the government would be more harmful. “For the Taliban, the better option is to keep them under check and strict surveillance in Kabul.”
Amid the flight of Afghan leaders and officials in the wake of the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul last year, Karzai and Abdullah had stayed back and engaged with leaders of the new regime, including the Haqqani Network, to work out the modalities for an inclusive government.
Since the announcement of an interim government last September, neither has been seen in public, strengthening speculation that they could be under virtual house arrest. Karzai lives with his family in a government accommodation in the vicinity of the presidential palace, while Abdullah stays in his personal residence.
Both are active on Twitter, although there has been no post yet even remotely critical of the performance and policies of the Taliban. Select guests, including foreign dignitaries, are allowed to meet them, but any correspondence with the duo requires the Taliban’s approval.
TOI attempted to find out why they did not opt to flee the country after the Taliban entered Kabul, by which time scores of other former officials and even warlords like Abdur Rasheed Dostum of Mazar-i-Sharif or Ismail Khan of Herat had already left.
“These leaders had been in contact with the senior Taliban leadership for a long time. Their criticism of the former president Ashraf Ghani and his government had further softened the stance of the Taliban towards them,” said Abdul Haq Omari, an Afghan journalist. “They knew beforehand of the agreement between the Taliban’s Doha office and the Americans that the group’s fighters would not enter Kabul without a formal transfer of power. They were also assured of participation in the process.”
Everything went haywire thereafter, sparked by the massive evacuation of foreign and Afghan nationals, coupled with the complete collapse of the government machinery led by former president Ashraf Ghani. Omari said it was Karzai who asked the Taliban to enter the capital to restore law and order.
“Since he and Abdullah were in contact with both the Americans and Taliban, they had a plan,” said Ali Akbar Khan, a Peshawar-based journalist who had closely monitored last year’s events in Kabul. “They were the ones who engaged with the Taliban and Haqqani Network leaders after the fall of Kabul. They had the Taliban’s ear and their emphasis on forming an ‘inclusive government’ was highlighted by media. They thought that their guidance and advice was unavoidable for the Taliban.”
Karzai and Abdullah were further emboldened by the secret visit of CIA director William Burns to Kabul and his meeting with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the current Afghan deputy prime minister. A role in the future Afghan government for both was allegedly discussed in that meeting.
The Taliban’s plan, which was kept a secret until the announcement of their government, turned out to be completely the opposite of what Karzai and Abdullah had expected. The new Afghan government was neither inclusive, nor did it have any representation for women. Another move that surprised many within and outside the country was Mullah Baradar, till then believed to be the prime candidate for head of government, being made deputy PM along with Abdul Salam Hanafi, another Taliban leader.
Both Karzai and Abdullah are, however, still considered valuable by the Taliban. “The regime realises that both are prominent Afghan figures having global acceptance and recognition. Instead of allowing them to leave the country, they think their stay in the country would be more beneficial,” said Syed Waqas Shah, a Pakistani journalist who covered the war against terror in Afghanistan for over a decade.
According to him, the Taliban believes that Karzai or Abdullah living abroad and being openly critical of the government would be more harmful. “For the Taliban, the better option is to keep them under check and strict surveillance in Kabul.”
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