Taliban using Doha office to reach out to international community

Doha [UAE], March 21 (ANI): The Taliban's political office in Doha, Qatar is serving as a link between the Islamic Emirate and international community as the office is in contact with nearly 16 countries around the world.
The information was shared by Taliban's spokesman Mohammad Naeem Wardak, who said that the office plays a constructive role in building relations with the world, reported Tolo News.
"One of the goals of this office was to reach out to the international community. In the past--you have been aware--we have made various trips to various countries in the region, to neighbours and beyond ... and this is ongoing and our relations are still in place," said Wardak.
Suhail Shaheen is the chief of the Doha office. After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the United States and some European and Western countries moved their political representatives and diplomatic missions to Qatar.
The political office of the Taliban in Qatar was the Islamic Emirate's channel of communication with the United States during the previous government as well, reported Tolo News.
The political office of the Taliban in Qatar began its activities in 2013 with the flag and title of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and with the financial support of the Qatari government.
Questions are raised about the role this office has played in building relations so far, since the takeover, as no country has recognized the Islamic Emirate.
"The Islamic Emirate has made great use of this office to gain power, but since it took power, its efforts to gain legitimacy for the Islamic Emirate and its relations with the world have been hampered, and the lobbying of the Taliban's political office in Qatar has not yet been successful," said Javed Javed, an international relations expert.
"Many countries are pursuing political and security policies toward Afghanistan through their embassies in Doha, Qatar, and the Taliban wants to interact with them in this way," said Fahim Kohdamani, a former diplomat. (ANI)