Afghan Diplomat Sharply Criticizes Qatar’s Role in Afghanistan Affairs

Former Afghan ambassador Mahmoud Saikal has strongly criticized the signing of an educational scholarship agreement between Qatar and Indonesia. The memorandum of understanding, signed two days ago between Qatar’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, aims to provide scholarships for Afghan students to study in Indonesia.

Saikal argues that this action has been portrayed as if “Afghanistan belongs to Qatar.” He emphasized that in any agreement related to Afghanistan, a representative of the country’s legitimate government should be one of the signatories.

The senior former Afghan diplomat accused Qatar of returning the Taliban group to power and stated that the country is responsible for “turning Afghanistan into a global terror house and a prison for women.” He also attributed the crises in the Middle East to Qatar’s dual policies.

Qatar, a main supporter of Taliban and host to its leaders, has for years hosted the Taliban group’s political office in Doha and facilitated negotiations between the group and the United States. Qatar’s close relations with the Taliban group were further confirmed by the visit of its Prime Minister to meet with the Taliban’s hidden leader in Kandahar.

These criticisms come as concerns grow about Qatar’s role in the region and its impact on Afghanistan’s future.

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