The Afghan scene

There appear to be some positive developments that have taken place in recent days in relation to Afghanistan. First things first, the United Arab Emirates has held talks with the Taliban to run Kabul airport.

According to media reports, the UAE officials have held a series of discussions with Taliban in recent weeks to discuss operating the airport that serves as landlocked Afghanistan’s main air link to the world. The most significant aspect of this development is the fact that the UAE was one of the three countries — Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — that had recognised the Taliban government in the 1990s. It increasingly appears that Saudi Arabia, too, will be reaching out to the new Afghan rulers with a view to doing business with the Taliban anytime soon.

In other development, the US has announced that it would be resuming its talks with the Taliban next week. It is therefore heartening to note that the world community appears to have realized that it can help avert the looming humanitarian crisis in this landlocked country only through increased engagement with the Taliban.

Hamid Warraich (Gujranwala)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021