Won’t go against Sharia under any pressure, says Taliban chief

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Taliban’s supreme leader Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada on Saturday said they wanted interaction with the world in the light of Sharia and national interests.

Addressing an Eidul Adha congregation in southern Kandahar province, Akhunzada said they would never violate the principles of Sharia under any pressure.

The Taliban leader asked the people to support the caretaker government after peace had been established across the country.

He said ministries and departments were being reformed and many things that were un-Islamic were being done away with.

It was his intention and determination to establish a pure Sharia system in Afghanistan and they would not allow anything that was against Sharia, even if there was a lot of pressure.

Akhundzada said the Taliban wanted to interact with the world and the people in the framework of Sharia and the interests of the nation. “We do not want to enter a war with anyone. Our friendship and enmity are within the framework of Islam. ”

He also called on government officials to serve the people honestly because every Afghan family had lost members to the past conflict.

Residents of Kandahar say the Taliban should accept people's demands, the first of which is the opening of girls' schools.

Faizi, a young Kandahar resident, said the Taliban should cooperate with the international community in framing foreign policy and work for national unity at home.

"We request the Taliban to endorse people’s demands like  opening girls' schools and interacting with the international community. We also want to join the global arena in which other nations of the world exist," he added.

Other residents also believed the people should cooperate with the current system to solve the country's problems.

Mohibullah, a resident, said he was happy to see the leader of the Islamic Emirate and offer Eid prayers with him.

"After so many years, we are happy to celebrate Eidul Adha in peace, so we hope that Afghans will continue to be united so that other problems can be overcome," he said.

Maulvi Haji Abdul Raziq, another resident of Kandahar, said the people should cooperate with the Islamic Emirate and the Islamic Emirate should treat the people well.

The Taliban supreme leader a few days ago while addressing a grant meeting of religious scholars in Kabul asked the world not to lecture them on how to run Afghanistan.

The head of the Islamic Emirate also appeared at the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers in Kandahar, but only congratulated the people.

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