Just as the reports came out about 17 people being killed and 41 injured during celebratory firing by the Taliban in Kabul on Friday, it was also reported that Pakistan ISI Chief Hamid Faiz is in Kabul. The entry of the ISI chief while the government making exercise of the terrorist group Taliban is under process says that all is not well in Kabul. Reports have mentioned that Faiz’s Kabul visited to get the Haqqanis in the running to revamp the Afghan army which is in complete disarray after the Taliban’s takeover.
According to the Pakistan Observer paper, a delegation of senior Pakistani officials led by Hameed landed in Kabul for talks with the upcoming Taliban government. Top Taliban leaders and commanders are set to meet with the ISI chief. According to the article, “issues relating to Pak-Afghan security, economy, and other concerns will be brought up with the Taliban leadership.” According to the Express Tribune, Hameed would also meet with Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul to discuss the repatriation and transit of foreign nationals and Afghans fleeing Taliban authority through Pakistan.
The Taliban have postponed the establishment of a new administration in Kabul for the second time since toppling the US-backed Afghan government. On Friday, the insurgent group was set to proclaim the formation of a new government, led by its co-founder Mulla Abdul Ghani Baradar, but it was later pushed back to Saturday. Things are not good, and these postponements are obvious signals that there is infighting going on between the Taliban and the Haqqani network. These two groups want to gain the larger end of the stick, and this struggle for power has made Pakistan nervous, given if these terrorist groups started going their way, Pakistan’s borders will be in danger.
Struggle in Kabul with the Haqqani Network
The Taliban is not having a smooth sailing in Kabul as it had hoped for. Pakistani proxy organisation called the Haqqani network is playing spoilsport, and is demanding a greater say in the Afghan government and important positions in the upcoming Cabinet. A fierce clash has also been reported between the Taliban and Haqqani network elements owing to the differences between the two groups over the leadership of Afghanistan.
It is rumored that tonight there was a fierce clash between Haqqani and Ghani Baradar elements over the leadership of the future government.
The same also happened 2 weeks ago which i reported on 21 Aug, and it was resolved with the mediating of the elders of Ghilji & Durrani. https://t.co/kNoIOl2F6Y— Natiq Malikzada (@natiqmalikzada) September 3, 2021
As earlier reported by TFI, the elements from the Haqqani network and Taliban sparred on Friday night, leading to the deaths of multiple extremists. It is no surprise, therefore, that Pakistan dispatched an entire intelligence and military contingent of high-ranking officials to Kabul on Saturday morning to help the Taliban in government formation, and “to assist the Taliban in reorganising their army in order for them to control their territory.” Among those who flew to Kabul was ISI chief Faiz Hameed.
Read more: Massacre in Panjshir, power-struggle in Kabul: Taliban is living its nightmare in Afghanistan
Severe Infighting
The Taliban is not a homogenous organisation, just like how Afghanistan is not a homogenous country. The Taliban is comprised of several Pashtun tribes, and all of the tribal leaders have their own aspirations and goals, which are, at times, not in sync with the larger organisational, or ‘national’ goals of the organisation. This leads to infighting, and for the Taliban to run a government would be extremely difficult, given the sheer magnitude of differences it has within its organisational setup.
And it is these faultlines that are slowly yet steadily expanding. This is why, the infighting among the Taliban and Haqqani network has made Pakistan nervous, but because of the clout it enjoys over the terrorist organisations, it has sent its ISI Chief to resolve the problems.