India-led UN panel votes to bring back sanctions on two Taliban leaders

A UN Security Council sanctions committee currently led by India has voted to remove two middle-ranking Taliban leaders from a sanctions exemption list because of the Taliban’s failure to deliver on pledges to protect the rights of women and children

A UN Security Council sanctions committee currently led by India has voted to remove two middle-ranking Taliban leaders from a sanctions exemption list because of the Taliban’s failure to deliver on pledges to protect the rights of women and children.

The decision was taken because of the Taliban’s failure to deliver on pledges to protect the rights of women and children. (AP)

The unanimous decision on Monday to remove deputy minister of education Said Ahmad Shahidkhel and minister of higher education Abdul Baqi Basir Awal Shah aka Abdul Baqi Haqqani from the exemption list means they will no longer be able to travel abroad for peace talks, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

The last travel exemption granted to 15 Taliban leaders expired on Monday. India currently heads the UN Security Council’s Taliban sanctions committee, also known as the 1988 sanctions committee. All 15 permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council are members of the committee.

The removal of the two Taliban leaders from the sanctions exemption list was unanimously agreed to by the 1988 sanctions committee after the Taliban failed to deliver on repeated promises to open high schools to girls, the people said. The 1988 sanctions committee agreed to extend the travel ban exemption for 13 other Taliban leaders for at least two more months.

The travel ban exemption for these 13 leaders will be automatically extended for a third month if there are no objections from any Security Council member, the people said.

In the wake of the failure to deliver on pledges to allow girls to return to school, the Taliban leadership has made vague promises about drawing up a plan in line with Islamic laws for reopening educational institutions across Afghanistan to girls and women. Numerous new restrictions have also been imposed on women.

While dozens of Taliban leaders are subject to UN sanctions – which include a travel ban, an asset freeze and an arms embargo – 15 of them were granted exemption to the travel ban so that they could participate in peace talks abroad.

However, concerns have grown in India and other countries that some of the leaders were misusing this exemption to travel to Iran and Central Asian countries for political purposes. India and Western countries have repeatedly called on the Taliban to form an inclusive government and to take steps to protect the rights of all sections of Afghan society, including girls, women and minorities.

...