Kabul (Pajhwok): Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi says the Afghan people have two fundamental principles—religious values and the protection of their territory—which they will never compromise.
He called on countries that have not engaged with the Islamic Emirate over the past five years to reconsider their policies and adopt a policy of engagement.
The remarks came at a ceremony held today in the Loya Jirga tent in Kabul to mark August 15, the day the previous government collapsed in 2021 and the Islamic Emirate returned to power.
A number of other officials also addressed the gathering, stressing Afghanistan’s independence and security and calling on opponents not to attempt to create war and insecurity in the country.
Addressing the ceremony, Muttaqi said Afghans had never accepted foreign occupation of their country and had always defended their homeland.
He said the time had come for the government and the people to jointly defend their religion and homeland.
“This nation has two very strong principles, two values that it has never abandoned and never will,” he said. “The first is religious values, for which it will sacrifice its life and wealth, endure hardships and migration, and remain in the trenches. The second is the protection of its homeland. Under no circumstances will it surrender even an inch of its territory to anyone, nor can it tolerate the footsteps of foreigners on this sacred land.”
He said Afghanistan had gone through difficult and complicated circumstances throughout its history but had never lost its independence.
According to Muttaqi, countries that engaged with the Islamic Emirate over the past five years had benefited from the policy, while those that did not engage should explain what they had achieved through their policy of non-engagement.
“Let them say what they have gained, what benefit they have obtained and what achievement they can point to as the result of their negative policy. They cannot point to anything,” he said.
He added that after five years of what he described as losses, “wise people reconsider” their policies and called on the countries concerned to come forward and engage with the Islamic Emirate.
Muttaqi said it was in the interest of countries that had not yet engaged with the Islamic Emirate to do so, adding that repeatedly pursuing policies that had failed was not a sound approach.
He said the Soviet Union had sought to impose socialism on Afghans during its occupation, but failed, while the United States and NATO had also failed to impose liberal democracy on the Afghan people.
“These ideas were not acceptable to Afghans and conflicted with their values, and therefore they faced defeat,” he said.
He added that following what he called the victory achieved by Afghans, the government and people now shared common values and were jointly defending the country and those values.
“That is why there is security throughout the country, all citizens cooperate with their government, they share a common faith and common values, and they are working toward the same vision,” he said.
Support for victims of past wars
Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi said the Islamic Emirate allocates more than 12 billion afghanis annually to support the families of martyrs, orphans and people with disabilities.
He said the assistance covered the families of all Afghan victims of past wars and was distributed equally, without discrimination.
According to Hanafi, reconstruction projects have been carried out rapidly across the country since the Islamic Emirate returned to power.
Calls for maintaining security
Minister of Guidance, Hajj and Religious Affairs Sheikh Noor Mohammad Saqib said freedom had value before Allah only when it was achieved to end occupation and establish a Sharia-based system.
He added that Afghans had achieved freedom for the purpose of establishing such a system.
Minister of Borders, Tribal and Ethnic Affairs Mullah Noorullah Noori said Afghans had made great sacrifices throughout history and had defended every inch of their territory against foreign forces.
He referred to resistance against British colonialism, the Soviet Union, and the United States and NATO, saying Afghans had, at every stage, fought with faith, belief in divine commandments, reliance on Allah and the support of the Afghan people.
Noori also delivered a message to opponents of the Islamic Emirate.
“The people of Afghanistan, exhausted by revolutions and wars, no longer want war,” he said. “They are tired of conflict, hardship and suffering, and today they are breathing a sigh of relief.”
He called on opponents not to seek insecurity in Afghanistan and not to disturb people who, he said, had finally found peace.
“Do not cause suffering to the people of Afghanistan for the sake of foreign conspiracies and objectives,” he said.
Independence and national values
Minister of Information and Culture Sheikh Khair Ahmad Haqqani said Afghans now had a system that was fully free and independent in all areas.
He said the Islamic Emirate had not accepted anyone’s dictates in establishing the structure of its system.
Mawlawi Hayatullah Muhajir Farahi, Deputy Minister for Publications Affairs at the Ministry of Information and Culture, said the significance of August 15 was that it conveyed a message to future generations.
He said the day represented the determination and resolve of the Afghan people, who had not refrained from making sacrifices for their homeland, independence, national values and their right to determine their own future.
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