Laraib Nisar
The day after the Afghan president fled and the Taliban entered Afghanistan’s capital and installed their government in the presidential palace, fears intensified on August 16, 2021 about a possible return to the Taliban’s brutal rule and the threat of reprisal killings. However, the situation on ground eased within days – to the surprise of many inside the country as well as the international community.
The first day, the city remained quiet but tense with majority of shops, businesses, government institutions and offices being closed, and only few citizens were seen commuting in their private cars. But the situation was much better on August 17, 2021, with the Taliban assuring the general population of their course of action, usual traffic was seen on the roads of Kabul.
Additionally, the Taliban’s remarkable conduct towards women changed the mainstream narrative that Taliban are religious extremists who strictly want to implement patriarchal models in Afghanistan. Not only did the Taliban visit government offices and hospitals, they assured the female staff’s safety and security, stating “You’re like our sisters, mothers. Your services are needed and highly appreciated because the state spent money to educate you for this.”
Women presence on media also built the Afghan public’s confidence on the Taliban and their future discourse, as a female news presenter was seen interviewing a Taliban member on the first day under Taliban rule and other female news anchors also continued doing their jobs without any interruptions.
In another event, women from a posh area of Kabul (Wazir Akbar Khan) were seen protesting on the streets against the Taliban, demanding a share for females in the political and economic business of the government. To the world’s surprise, the Taliban not only listened to their demands but also came to provide security for them.
Moreover, news reporters observed that unlike Biden – who refused to take questions after his statement, the Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid did invite questions after his statement, which shows that the Taliban are ready to engage with the world so they can listen to others and get heard themselves.
Taliban had barred their fighters from entering people’s homes or interfering with businesses. They also declared “amnesty” to all those who worked with the Afghan government or foreign forces, especially females – underlining that they are cognizant of what the international community expects of them.
All these incidences have added value to the statement that the Talban deputy chief Sirajuddin Haqqani made in his NYT article ‘What We, The Taliban Want’ in February 2020; “The new Afghanistan will be a responsible member of the International Community,” he wrote.
With the new Taliban leadership, the on-ground situation in Afghanistan has turned out to be far better than was anticipated on the basis of past experiences. And it is quite clear that the young, better educated Taliban headship may bring about a positive change in Afghanistan, and will change the world’s outlook towards Afghanistan.
The security situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover appears quite stable and impressive. It has dispelled many myths that had been floating around in the western media. They are also consciously trying to undo the narratives propagated about the Taliban, who meanwhile had been recognized as the legitimate stakeholders in the country’s politics. Will the West and its media rationally analyze the on-ground facts before adopting or making any narrative about any internationally significant happening?
The author Laraib Nisar is a Defense and Strategic Studies’ graduate, working as a Program Coordinator at the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Islamabad.
