Taliban Uses Forced Gathering to Claim National Unity, Ignores Shia Rights

The Taliban announced that the High Shia Commission of Afghanistan organised a gathering at the Loya Jirga Hall in Kabul to express support for the group’s rule and promote national unity.

During the event, Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, claimed that Afghanistan’s ethnic and religious diversity symbolises national unity. He asserted that Afghanistan belongs to all its people and that everyone has equal rights under Taliban rule.

However, the Taliban does not recognise the Jafari school of thought (Shia jurisprudence) and has removed it from the educational system, basing its laws solely on Hanafi jurisprudence. Over the past three years, the group has imposed severe restrictions on Shia religious ceremonies.

During the gathering on Thursday, Mullah Baradar declared that “there are no differences based on minority status, ethnicity, or religion in Afghanistan,” insisting that the Taliban values diversity as a unifying factor.

For over three years, the Afghanistan Shia Scholars Council has repeatedly demanded official recognition of the Jafari sect, the inclusion of Jafari jurisprudence in schools and universities for Shia students, and meaningful representation in government. The Taliban has ignored these demands.

Despite acknowledging Afghanistan’s ethnic and religious diversity, Baradar claimed that before the Taliban’s rule, these differences were misused to divide the country. He accused political parties of undermining national unity, stating that their presence prevented Afghanistan from achieving true cohesion.

However, in practice, the Taliban has excluded not only Shias but also other ethnic and religious minorities from government positions. There are currently no Hazaras or Shias in the Taliban’s cabinet. In addition to sidelining ethnic and religious groups, the Taliban has systematically erased women from public life, leading to accusations of gender apartheid.

The Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that the High Shia Commission of Afghanistan organised the gathering at the Loya Jirga Hall, attended by senior Taliban officials and several Shia figures. Reports indicate that the commission was established by the Taliban itself.

Sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban pressured the commission to bring around 5,000 people to the event to stage a show of support for the regime. A similar pro-Taliban gathering was previously organised by the same commission in Balkh province.

The commission is led by Mohammad Ali Akhlaqi, a former member of parliament.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has repeatedly reported that religious minorities in Afghanistan face threats from both ISIS and the Taliban. The commission states that under Taliban rule, Shias, Hindus, and Sikhs have been subjected to severe religious persecution.

Despite these reports, Mullah Baradar insisted during the event that the Taliban’s rule is the result of sacrifices made by all Afghans. He stated that maintaining national unity is essential for the country’s political and economic progress.