Jakarta terms Taliban officials’ visit ‘informal’

Published July 26, 2023
Deputy spokesperson at the Afghan foreign ministry, Hafiz Zia Ahmad, tweeted on July 14 that one of the government’s top diplomats led a “delegation” to Indonesia. — Photo courtesy Hafiz Zia’s Twitter account
Deputy spokesperson at the Afghan foreign ministry, Hafiz Zia Ahmad, tweeted on July 14 that one of the government’s top diplomats led a “delegation” to Indonesia. — Photo courtesy Hafiz Zia’s Twitter account

JAKARTA: Represe­ntatives of Afghanistan’s Taliban government travelled to Indonesia this month on an unofficial visit, the foreign ministry in Jakarta said on Tuesday, despite Kabul saying they held meetings with politicians in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation.

“My understanding is that they were in Jakarta informally for internal matters with the Afgha­nistan mission here,” said Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah.

But the deputy spokesperson at the Afghan foreign ministry, Hafiz Zia Ahmad, tweeted on July 14 that one of the government’s top diplomats led a “delegation” to Indonesia.

He stated, “The delegation held useful meetings and discussions with some scholars, politicians and businessmen in Indonesia for strengthening bilateral political and economic relations.”

The official did not disclose which Indonesian politicians the Afghan delegation met.

Faizasyah claimed there were no official meetings between Afghan and Indonesian government officials.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.