It's 'Necessary to Fill the Power Vacuum' in Afghanistan, Member of Council for Power Transfer Says

It has been more than a week since the Taliban seized Kabul, thus ending, in its own words, 20 years of war. What does the Taliban's return to power mean for the country and the region?

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e-Islami (Islamic Party of Afghanistan) and member of the Coordinating Council for a peaceful transfer of power in Afghanistan that was established after Ashraf Ghani escaped, spoke in an exclusive interview with Sputnik Afghanistan about whether the peace process had stalled with the arrival of the Taliban, whether the Taliban had changed their views, whether negotiations are possible, what the resistance in the Panjshir Valley wants, and what the new government will be like.

Sputnik: Mr Hekmatyar, has the peace process stalled with the escape of Ghani and the Taliban's rise to power?

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: There are no more obstacles to peace negotiations. The road is open. The Afghans will not return to the past. They will only move towards peace and stability. There are no more obstacles to peace. There will be a strong central government of a free and independent Afghanistan without a foreign presence.

Sputnik: Panjshir has formed an anti-Taliban resistance. As far as we know, Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah recently visited Panjshir for negotiations. What is the news from there?

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: Panjshir’s leaders do not want military activities to take place in Panjshir, do not want Panjshiris to fight the Afghans as they did in the past. They want peace and stability; they are searching for an inter-Afghan agreement. They came here and met with Karzai. Karzai did not go to Panjshir, Panjshir’s leaders came here instead and expressed support for the peace process.

Sputnik: What are the demands of the Panjshiris for peaceful negotiations?

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: So far, they haven’t said anything concrete. They want peace, they don’t want war. They want to negotiate with the Taliban. That’s it for now.

Sputnik: Have the Taliban changed and are they truly ready to make the concessions they've claimed?

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: My advice to everyone is to abandon the slogans of war and embark on the path of peace. They have already had enough with 40 years of war, first with the USSR and then with NATO. Let them choose the path of peace and peaceful negotiations. They have the right to talk about the establishment of an all-Afghan government, a constitution, the structure of a future regime, and the right to offer their terms.
The Taliban claim that they are ready to negotiate the future of the country, the composition of the government; they conduct negotiations with politicians and discuss the formation of an all-Afghan government. I`ve met with the Taliban, and I see the change in their tone - they’ve learned a lot, they’ve gained experience, and their attitudes are changing. The positive developments in their views are clear.

Sputnik: But according to news from different provinces, the Taliban persecute journalists, officials, and the military.

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: This is just propaganda. The Taliban`s position is different. As far as I see, since the Taliban have come to power, there have been positive developments that give us hope for a good future. We must wait.

A Taliban fighter looks on as he stands at the city of Ghazni, Afghanistan August 14, 2021.

© REUTERS / STRINGER

Sputnik: You’re saying that there have been positive developments. But we’ve seen thousands of Afghans at Kabul Airport trying to leave the country. Why was that?

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: It was a pre-staged drama. They (the enemies of Afghanistan, Sputnik's note) wanted social unrest, looting and robbery to increase after Ghani fled the country. They wanted to make the impression that the Afghans are scared of the Taliban and trying their best to run away from them. Why didn’t it happen in any other province? Why didn’t the people flee?

Sputnik: Because the borders and the airspace are closed. The only open route is Hamid Karzai Airport.

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: It was a performance. Nobody was harassed here, no one was persecuted, no one was detained or killed. In the few days since the Taliban came to power there has been no news of an ongoing war. There is some news about fighting in Andarab (the area of Baghlan Province, Sputnik's note), but there are foreign intelligence agencies involved here who wanted to trigger these events. But I believe that (these actions) will meet resistance from the people and will not continue for long.

Sputnik: Have you met with the Taliban? What position are you planning to take up in the new government?

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: Yes, we had a friendly meeting with the Taliban in a good atmosphere. We discussed various issues, including the need to fill the power vacuum, for example through the establishment of an interim administration, and to reassure the people that we are moving towards an inclusive government that will be created in accordance with an agreement among political leaders.

The Islamic Party of Afghanistan advocates for stability, wants to stop the war in Afghanistan and create an inclusive government supported by the people, without foreign interference.

Sputnik: The minority leaders Atta Mohammad Nur and Abdul-Rashid Dostum are currently abroad. Will you negotiate with them?

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: I call on them to participate in negotiations. If they have any demands, they should present them here in a friendly atmosphere of inter-Afghan talks. The Taliban have come to power and started negotiations with different politicians. Everyone is satisfied with the talks and sees positive developments in the Taliban’s attitudes. They are ready to form an inclusive government following the results of an inter-Afghan agreement.

Sputnik: The Taliban claim that a new government will be announced in the coming weeks. Are they talking about the interim government that was mentioned earlier?

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: That was before. Now there is the need to fill the power vacuum. Now there is no Cabinet, no ministers. Currently we need to create an interim government, a transitional administration to fill the power vacuum.