Tensions Rise Between Taliban Ministries Over Welcome of Qatari Female Official

Kokcha News Agency: Sources close to the Taliban government have revealed that a rift has emerged between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice over the welcoming of Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al-Misnad, Qatar’s Deputy Foreign Minister, in Kabul.

Last week, Al-Misnad arrived in Kabul leading a humanitarian aid delegation from Qatar. She was greeted at the airport by Mohammad Naeem Wardak, the Taliban’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Finance and Administration, along with several senior officials from the ministry.

This gesture, however, drew sharp criticism from Khalid Hanafi, the head of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, who labeled the move as “contrary to Islamic values” and insisted that foreign countries should send male representatives to Afghanistan.

Hanafi, known for enforcing the Taliban’s strict cultural and religious policies, even warned that his ministry has the authority to prosecute officials from other departments who violate Islamic principles. In response, Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting Foreign Minister, defended the decision, stating that “no institution should interfere in the diplomatic affairs of the Foreign Ministry.”

This incident echoes a similar controversy last year when the Taliban Foreign Ministry welcomed Pakistani politician Maryam Nawaz Sharif to Kabul, despite objections from hardline elements within the Taliban.

The dispute highlights the growing internal divisions within the Taliban government. The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice continues to enforce rigid social and religious policies, while the Foreign Ministry seeks to maintain diplomatic relations with Islamic and other countries, often presenting a more flexible image of the Taliban regime.

Qatar, a key political and economic supporter of the Taliban, holds significant influence in the group’s foreign relations. The warm reception of a high-ranking Qatari female official underscores Qatar’s importance to the Taliban. However, the internal backlash from hardline elements reveals that gender restrictions remain a major obstacle to the Taliban’s international engagements.

For Afghan women, these tensions are particularly significant. Under the Taliban’s domestic policies, women are barred from education, employment, and social participation. The contrast between the Taliban’s treatment of foreign women and their harsh restrictions on Afghan women has drawn criticism from observers, who see it as a glaring contradiction in the group’s approach.