On Thursday, Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi held a meeting with several exiled political leaders from the Afghan Hindu and Sikh communities and assured them of the safety and security of all citizens, including minorities.
The meeting saw the participation of Narendra Singh Khalsa, a Sikh political leader who previously fled to India in anticipation of the Taliban’s takeover. He returned to the war-torn from New Delhi last week and was accompanied by Manjeet Singh, another Sikh leader. Their decision to return to Afghanistan was strongly opposed by the Afghan Minorities Group, a coordination committee for Afghan-origin Hindus and Sikhs residing in India and Afghanistan. Apart from the two Sikh leaders, Gurnam Singh, the President of the Gurdwara Sahib Dashmesh Pita near Kabul, was also present. Meanwhile, Ram Sharan Bhasin represented the Hindu community.
The minority leaders informed Hanafi that they wish to continue to live in Afghanistan and constructively contribute to the country’s development. According to Pakistani media house The Nation, the minority leaders also asked the Taliban to return “their usurped land.” Aamaj News, an Afghan news channel, reported that Hanafi had assured them of the Taliban’s policy of ensuring “prosperity and peace” for all. He also said, “All ethnic groups and citizens of the country have the right to live and to contribute to the development of the country.”
After the Taliban took control over Afghanistan in August following the departure of NATO troops, India conducted several evacuation operations, and several minority community members were provided refuge in the country. 168 people were evacuated during the initial operations, of which 107 were Indian nationals and the remaining were members of the minority Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan. Another such operation was conducted earlier this month, when 104 individuals from minority religious communities were evacuated. This was the first such operation since mass evacuations back in August.
Minorities have fled Afghanistan in fear of harsh reprisals by the ruling Taliban as part of the group’s vision of an Islamic state. During Taliban rule in the 1980s, there was a significant drop in the population of the minorities, as several people fled after years of civil war and the subsequent rise of the Taliban. After it returned to power in August, the group has faced increasing international pressure to protect rights and freedoms. Possibly in order to gain recognition as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, prevent further sanctions, and to secure the delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance, the Taliban has pledged to protect all citizens. However, its commitment to honouring this pledge remains uncertain at best.