Mullah Hassan Akhund will be head of Taliban government, dreaded terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani will be Home Minister
Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the head of the Taliban’s powerful decision-making unit ‘Rahbari Shura’, has been named as the new head of Afghanistan by the group’s top leader, Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada. This has been claimed in a news of Pakistani media.
Abdul Ghani Baradar to be Deputy Chief
The newspaper ‘The News International’, citing multiple sources, has reported that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the chairman of the Taliban’s political office in Doha, and Mullah Abdus Salaam will serve as deputy head of Mullah Hassan in the new Taliban government, announced Likely next week.
Who is Mulla Hassan
Mullah Hassan currently heads the Taliban’s powerful decision-making body, the Rahbari Shura, or Leadership Council, which acts like a government cabinet on all matters of the group, subject to the approval of the top leader. The newspaper said that Mullah Hebatullah himself proposed the name of Mullah Hassan to head the government. It has also been said that the internal issues of the Taliban organization regarding the formation of the government have been resolved.
Mullah Hassan has been the head of ‘Rahbari Shura’
According to the newspaper, Mullah Hassan belongs to Kandahar, the starting site of the Taliban and is one of the founders of the armed movement. He served as the head of the ‘Rahbari Shura’ for 20 years and is considered close to Mulla Hebatullah. He served as foreign minister and deputy prime minister during the previous Taliban government in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.
Sirajuddin Haqqani likely to get the charge of Home Minister
The newspaper said Mullah Yacoub, the son of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, would be the new defense minister. Yakub was a student of Mullah Hebatullah, who had previously appointed him as the head of the Taliban’s powerful military commission. According to Taliban sources, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the head of the Haqqani network and the son of anti-Soviet satrap Jalaluddin Haqqani, is likely to take over as the home minister, while Mullah Amir Khan Muttaki will be the new foreign minister.
5 million dollar reward terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani
Sirajuddin Haqqani’s name is in the list of global level terrorists. The US has announced a reward of $ 5 million on information about him. He was also allegedly involved in a plot to assassinate Afghan President Hamid Karzai in 2008, according to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) website. Citing Taliban sources, the newspaper said Mullah Zabiullah Mujahid, whose name was first proposed for information minister, would now be the spokesman for the new head of state.
Pakistan engaged in nexus with Talibani government
The Taliban last week postponed the formation of a new government as the group struggles to shape a comprehensive and inclusive administration acceptable to the international community. The development comes days after Lt Gen Hameed, Director General of Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), visited Kabul last week on an unannounced visit amid mounting pressure on the Taliban to form an inclusive government acceptable to the international community.
Religious leader Mullah Hebatullah will be Afghanistan’s highest official
During his visit, the ISI chief had met Mullah Baradar and Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and discussed the current situation in Afghanistan. According to reports, the new government in Kabul will be formed on the lines of Iran’s leadership, with the group’s top religious leader Mullah Hebatullah as Afghanistan’s highest official.
