THIS is with reference to the editorial ‘Cabinet inclusivity’ (Sept 25) which has touched upon an important issue, reminding the Taliban about the promise of being inclusive, indicating that the newly-formed cabinet is without women.

It is true there is pressure on the Taliban from outside as well as internally to leave the past and be in line with the present realities, but while demanding inclusivity, we forget that the Taliban have cate-gorically announced there would be no compromise and flexibility on Shariah.

While demanding ‘inclusivity’ from the Taliban, imagine what if Imam Khomeini was asked to keep some elements of the Reza Shah Pehlavi government to make the new setup all inclusive, or if Recep Tayyip Erdogan, shortly after the coup bid, was asked to keep the Gulen movement intact to keep the Turkish government all inclusive. It never happened and nobody raised a question.

Many more examples can be given in support of the Taliban. What is the logic behind the international community’s demand for the Taliban to include in the government those who aided and abetted the foreign occupiers of their land for two decades and fought against the Taliban?

As is apparent, the Taliban are not going to compromise on Shariah and the selection of the cabinet, and that may end up in a civil war. The world must engage and take immediate decision to recognise the Taliban without imposing preconditions and stop insisting on ‘inclusivity’.

Once they get consolidated, they can be approached to either be part of the changed world or suffer as before.

Lt-Col (retd) Mukhtar Ahmed Butt
Karachi

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2021