Wolesi Jirga won’t recognise Taliban office

KABUL,” the former official name of the movement’s government.

The Taliban opened their political office in Doha on Tuesday, saying it was intended to open a dialogue between the Taliban and the world.

However, Qatar said on Wednesday the Taliban office does not carry the name of the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” as it appeared earlier.

“The office that was opened in Doha yesterday is the political office of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and is not the political office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” Qatar’s foreign ministry said, quoted by QNA state news agency. “The official name agreed to open this office was the political office of the Taliban in Doha.”

The Wolesi Jirga in a statement said it supported every effort that could bring about peace in the country, but it was against things that could fuel further violence.

The lower house suggested that the peace parleys should be between Afghans and led by the Afghan government, insisting the talks should be conducted after taking the parliament into confidence.

“The Wolesi Jirga does not recognise any institution carrying the name of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and it is against the use of the term,” the statement said, urging the United Nations to support the Afghan-led peace process.

Lawmaker Shukria Barakzai told Wednesday’s session of Wolesi Jirga that she was against the establishment of the Taliban office because it undermined the Afghan government’s credibility.

The outspoken lawmaker said the Taliban and the US had their men imprisoned with each other and there should be no compromise on the achievements made by the Afghans over the past decade.

MP Mohammad Naeem Lalai Hamidzai said the purpose of the Taliban office was to take power from President Karzai and return it to Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi said they would summon Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul and National Security Advisor Rangin Dadfar Spanta to brief MPs on the Taliban office.

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