The Taliban on Tuesday announced the members who would form its new government in Afghanistan, with spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid noting that this would be an “acting” government, ruling over the newly-formed Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Contrary to expectations, Abdul Ghani Baradar was not selected as leader but was made a deputy head of government. Kandahar Governor Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund was appointed to lead the caretaker government as prime minister. Haibatullah Akhundzada will serve as the "supreme leader" while Hassan will head the government.
Abas Stanikzai will be the acting deputy foreign minister while Amir Khan Muttaqi will be the foreign minister.
Mujahid said that "all groups" had been represented in the Taliban's cabinet.
Hasan is the chief of the Taliban’s powerful decision-making body, the Rehbari Shura, or leadership council—which serves much like a government Cabinet running all the group's affairs subject to the approval of the top leader.
Mulla Yaqoob, son of the Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, will be the new defence minister. Sirajuddin Haqqani has been named interior minister.
According to the News International, Mullah Hassan belongs to Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, and was among the founders of the armed movement. He worked for 20 years as head of Rehbari Shura and remained close to Mullah Hebatullah.
Mullah Hebatullah himself proposed Mullah Hassan's name to head the government, the paper said, adding that the issues within ranks of the Taliban regarding the formation of the government have been resolved.
He had served as foreign minister and deputy prime minister during the Taliban's previous government in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. He headed the Taliban government in Kabul during the last years of its rule. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who had led talks with the United States and signed the deal that led to America's final withdrawal from Afghanistan, will be one of two deputies to Akhund.
There was no evidence of non-Taliban in the lineup, a big demand of the international community.
With inputs from PTI