Motasim cannot represent Islamic Emirate: Taliban
15 August, 2012
KANDAHAR: The Taliban in a clarification statement on Tuesday said Agha Jan Motasim had been sacked from his post two years ago, and that he could not represent the Islamic Emirate.
The clarification statement of Taliban, available with the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) stated: "Agha Jan Mostasim was dismissed from his post by the leader of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in the year 2010 for stepping over his bounds and for lacking transparency in his work.
He currently does not hold any posts with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and neither can he represent the Islamic Emirate in any of his statements and actions."
Regarding the current activities of Agha Jan Motasim, the statement said: "It is purely his own personal choice that he in currently living in Turkey.
The Islamic Emirate does not have any representation or hold an office in Turkey and neither are the travels of Agha Jan Motasim to Kabul and Ankara carried out under the guidance and permission of the leadership of Islamic Emirate."
Agha Jan Motasim was the finance minister of Taliban Islamic Emirate before the US-led forces toppled the Taliban government in Afghanistan in 2001. Later, he was an active member of Taliban's Islamic Movement.
Due to differences with the Taliban Islamic Emirate, he lived in Karachi, Pakistan. He sustained injuries in Karachi last year when unknown gunmen opened fire on him. After the incident, Agha Jan Motasim went to Turkey and is currently living there.
He takes active part to address the Afghan conflict. For this purpose, he also held some meetings in Turkey and Dubai. Later, some media called them the meetings of Taliban representatives.
The United Nations has removed the name of Motasim from the black list and now he can freely move to anywhere.
Some analysts believe the anti-Taliban forces are striving to introduce Agha Jan Motasim as a separate leader of Taliban and include him in meetings and negotiations in place of Taliban Islamic Emirate.
However, it's difficult to say how far Motasim would be able to separate Taliban's associates and join them with him.
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