In an interesting development, US President Donald Trump’s administration may designate the Afghan Taliban, the ruling organisation in Afghanistan, as a “foreign terrorist organisation.”
Following the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan under the Biden administration in 2021, no country in the world has recognised the interim government of Afghanistan.
During the House Foreign Affairs Committee, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday stated that the United States “was reviewing” whether to designate Afghanistan’s current rules as terrorists.
When a Tennessee lawmaker, Tim Burchett, asked Rubio whether the US would classify the Taliban as a foreign terrorist organization, he replied, “We’ll have some decisions to make. That designation ultimately will be based on a holistic approach to what we think our future policy is going to be concerning Afghanistan.”
Referring to the Afghan Taliban, Rubio further stated, “We’re clearly aware of who they are and what they’ve done in the past. We’d like to see more cooperation from them on al Qaeda and other elements in the country that we’d like to see targeted.”
It merits a mention that since the Afghan Taliban came into power in Afghanistan, Pakistan has witnessed a steady and dangerous rise in terrorist attacks.
Pakistan has consistently asked the Afghan authorities not to let their territory be used against Pakistan; however, the rise in terrorist activities has only solidified.
In the last two years, Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in terrorist activities, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan provinces.
It must be noted that the international pressure on the Afghan interim government is increasing, and if the US designates the Taliban as a foreign terrorist organisation, it could give Pakistan more leverage to convince Afghanistan to halt its activities.
Rubio also made it clear that the Trump administration would not allow any form of aid “to reach the hands of Taliban.”
Read more: Zilhaj chand on May 28, Eid likely on June 7: SUPARCO
The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) predicts that the zilhaj chand (Zilhaj moon) is unlikely to be visible on May 27. Instead, it is expected to be sighted on May 28, making Eid ul Adha likely to fall on June 7.
As a result, the Islamic month of Zilhaj is expected to begin on May 29, 2025. This forecast is based on astronomical data.
