Waheedullah Hashimi, a senior member of the Taliban, made it clear that Afghanistan will be ruled by “Sharia law and that is it.”
Hashimi told Reuters, “There will be no democratic system at all because it does not have any base in our country,” adding, “We will not discuss what type of political system should we apply in Afghanistan because it is clear. It is sharia law and that is it.”
The Taliban commander said he would meet with the Taliban leadership to discuss issues of governance later this week. As Reuters pointed out, Afghanistan may now be governed by a ruling council.
Hashimi said the Taliban’s supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, “would likely play a role above the head of the council, who would be akin to the country’s president.”
He added, “Maybe his (Akhundzada’s) deputy will play the role of ‘president.'”
According to Hashimi, the Taliban has plans to establish a national force with its own members and government soldiers. He explained, “Most of them have got training in Turkey and Germany and England. So we will talk to them to get back to their positions.”
He continued, “Of course we will have some changes, to have some reforms in the army, but still we need them and will call them to join us.”
With the Taliban in need of pilots, Hashimi said, “We have contact with many pilots. And we have asked them to come and join, join their brothers, their government. We called many of them and are in search of (others’) numbers to call them and invite them to their jobs.”
As The Washington Post notes, a harsh interpretation of sharia law was enforced the last time the Taliban controlled the country, from 1996 to 2001.
“Women were forced to wear burqas — the head-to-toe, face-covering garment — and could face beatings if they ventured outside on their own without a male guardian,” the outlet reported.