It has been almost two years since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, yet Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban, has remained hidden and has not appeared in the media. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister, has made appearances, but Hibatullah has not agreed to do so. This is significant as Haqqani is still on the United States’ wanted list with a reward of 10 million dollars. The only evidence of Hibatullah’s physical presence is his voice, which is often broadcasted in the media as he conveys his views to the public. His audio messages are intended to justify the harsh treatment of citizens and to make them adhere to the moral and religious principles of the Taliban leader. It is clear that Hibatullah has not read Niccolò Machiavelli’s book The Prince, as Shaykhul-Hadeeth of Deoband would not touch such books as they may be “contaminated”. His pretense of benevolence and righteousness while being cruel in practice is the same advice and instructions that Machiavelli proposed for political success. Machiavelli wrote, “Honor and honesty are always harmful. What is useful is that a person appears to be righteous, trustworthy, humane, and self-sacrificing. Nothing is as useful as a pious and benevolent appearance.” He also said, “Religion is necessary for a system to make people pious and righteous as well as to make the process of their domination simpler. It may even be the duty of a ruler to help spread a religion that he does not believe in and considers incorrect.”
Recently, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the Taliban, released an audio message from Hibatullah in which he warned the Taliban members to modify their conduct in the presence of the public, or else they would be destroyed. He severely censured the Taliban members who had been beating and tormenting citizens, cautioning them of the repercussions of such actions. He highlighted that a government that behaves brutally will eventually collapse. He acknowledged that if brutality, extrajudicial killings, homicide, and vengeance are present, corruption will ensue and order will be disrupted.
Noteworthy Points About the Voice Message:
1- Reliable reports from both domestic and foreign media have been published up until now regarding the Taliban’s performance since regaining power in August 2021. These reports indicate that the Taliban have been committing human rights violations against various groups, including former military personnel, journalists, judges, and civil servants of the republican system, by imprisoning, torturing, or even killing them. International organizations have condemned the Taliban’s behavior, yet they have continued to ignore these condemnations. The Taliban’s announcement of a general amnesty upon entering the capital is believed by most analysts to have been a deceptive measure rather than an act of goodwill. Hibatullah’s orders are seen as a way to deceive, cheat, and manipulate public opinion both inside and outside the country; for example, the order to ban drug cultivation and trafficking was never enforced, instead providing more freedom for traffickers.
2- The leader of the Taliban has previously spoken with a similar tone and content, offering advice and warning of the consequences of killing innocent people. He claims to have no involvement in the oppression, torture, and killing of innocent people. This raises the question of what Hibatullah is doing in the Taliban organization, and why he continues to criticize other members of the Taliban as if he has never been unjust to them. He has control over even the smallest issues, and has even been involved in the appointment of regular employees of the Taliban government. Despite this, he criticizes the Taliban’s treatment of people, claiming it to be against religious principles. If he wishes to reform the behavior of the Taliban, why does he not take practical action and punish those who harm the people? No cases have been registered to show that the leader of the Taliban or other officials of this group have lawfully processed cases of those who have committed extrajudicial killings or imprisoned and tortured them. The Taliban fighters have so much freedom that they even record videos of their crimes, such as torture and extrajudicial killing, and share them with the media, yet they are never punished.
3- The blatant hypocrisy of Hibatullah’s words can be seen in the fact that their regime is founded upon intimidation, threats, and violence. A warning has been issued: if the Taliban are forced to cease their violent tactics and cease to instill fear and terror, their government will collapse. They have done nothing to improve the economy, do not value liberty, and have no commendable record in the realms of culture and art. Consequently, the public is not content with them or their regime in any way. Therefore, the most effective way to quell any potential disobedience is to instill fear. So far, this method of controlling people has been successful, and only time will tell how long it can sustain the Taliban regime.
4- Hibatullah has stated that those who commit crimes against Afghan citizens have no affiliation with the Taliban or its leadership, and that it is easy to prove this to be untrue. The Taliban are guilty of systematic human rights violations, which are not limited to any particular individuals or groups. The Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defense, and the Intelligence Directorate of the Taliban are responsible for the continued violation of citizens‘ rights in order to maintain their regime, and they show no regard for anyone. Currently, the torture centers of the Directorate of Intelligence and the Pul–e–Charkhi prison are filled with people who have been subjected to torture and imprisonment. Does Hibatullah view the Taliban‘s security system as arbitrary and unwilling to obey him?
5- Hibatullah‘s statements may have been used as a means of internal pressure, with the intention of placing the blame for any crimes on Sirajuddin Haqqani, Mohammad Yaqoob, and Abdul Haq Wasiq and forcing them to comply with his orders. This is supported by reports of internal disputes between the Taliban in Kandahar and their senior officials in Kabul. In 2016, after the death of Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, the Taliban military commanders chose Hibatullah as the leader due to his unpopularity and lack of experience in war and militancy, believing that this would give them more freedom and rights. Agence France–Presse reported that his leadership of the Taliban would be symbolic, but in the last two years, Hibatullah has demonstrated his interest in taking the position and suppressing any intra–group opposition. His religious status has been a factor in his success, as he was a school teacher in Pakistan and is said to be “Sheikh ul Hadith“, a title given to leading Mullahs of Deobandi.
Regardless of whether Hibatullah‘s statements are an attempt to evade responsibility and accountability or not, the Taliban perpetrated numerous offenses during their two–year reign. These offenses against innocent citizens were so appalling and heartbreaking that they seem more like fiction than reality. The pertinent authorities should concentrate on recording these offenses and exposing the true nature of the Taliban. Although major world powers are currently advocating for the Taliban to remain in power, they will eventually fail, and these records will be necessary.