Atmar, Stanekzai Talk Nearly Daily with Taliban

Associated Press (AP) reported that Afghan National Security Advisor Mohammad Hanif Atmar and Head of National Directorate of Security (NDS) Masoom Stanekzai speak over the telephone with Taliban representatives nearly every day about Afghanistan’s constitution and political future. AP has seen documents describing the conversations between Afghan officials and Taliban leadership in both Pakistan and the Gulf state of Qatar, where they maintain an office. According to AP, an Afghan security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Taliban wanted amendments to the constitution – although not immediately. They envisioned an Islamic system of governance in Afghanistan, he said. The report further stated that while the Taliban accepted education for boys and girls at all levels, they wanted segregation by gender. Women could be employed in all fields, including defense and the judiciary, and they could serve as judges at all levels except the Supreme Court. However, the Taliban wanted constitutional guarantees that a woman could not be president. Atmar’s office refused requests to comment on reports of his contacts with the Taliban in Doha, the capital of Qatar.