The Taliban has appointed Maulvi Abdul Kabir as the acting Prime Minister of Afghanistan because the current Prime Minister, Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, has fallen ill. Taliban ‘Supreme Leader’ Haibatullah Akhundzada made the appointment on Wednesday. Maulvi Kabir previously played a crucial role in US-Taliban negotiations, leading to the signing of the Doha Agreement. He has also held various positions within the Taliban.
Maulvi Kabir is from the Zadran tribe in eastern Paktika province and previously served as the governor of Nangarhar province during the Taliban’s former regime from 1996 to 2001. The Doha Agreement aimed to facilitate intra-Afghan talks and establish a path towards a political settlement in the country. However, the Taliban-led government banned women from going to school and working, which broke promises that it would not bring laws curbing freedoms of women in Afghanistan.
After the Taliban’s resurgence in August 2021, Maulvi Kabir assumed various roles within the organization. Initially appointed as the assistant to Akhund’s economic deputy, he later took on the position of the political deputy to the Taliban’s prime minister. His appointments show that his responsibilities and influence are increasing within the Taliban’s leadership structure.
