Afghan Opposition in Islamabad Urges Pakistan to Host Political Offices, Rejecting Taliban's Claim to Rule

Overview

• A two-day closed-door conference titled “Towards Unity and Trust” was held on September 29–30 in Islamabad by SASSI, drawing at least 37 Afghan leaders including Fawzia Koofi, Ahmed Ullah Alizai, Aman Ullah Paiman and Raheel Talash.
• Participants demanded that Pakistan allow a full-fledged political office in Islamabad for Afghan opposition groups.
• Delegates declared the Taliban government unlawful, asserting that it does not represent the Afghan people.
• Organizers described a first-phase approach centered on peaceful pressure and said the Taliban were not invited because the process is at an initial stage.
• The meeting was funded by UN Women, the National Endowment for Democracy and Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, with backing from Geneva-based Women for Afghanistan, and it followed a postponement after criticism from Zalmay Khalilzad.