RASC News Agency: One week has elapsed since Mullah Abdul Kabir was appointed as the Taliban’s Minister of Refugees, yet he has neither reported to the ministry nor commenced his official duties. Previously holding the position of Deputy Prime Minister in the Taliban administration, Mullah Kabir remains stationed at Sapidar Palace, and no replacement for his former role has been announced. During a period when Mullah Hassan, the Taliban’s de facto prime minister, vanished from the public eye, Mullah Kabir was elevated to the role of acting prime minister, effectively becoming the most influential figure in the group’s Kabul-based administration.
Insiders report that Mullah Kabir is deeply dissatisfied with the leadership of the Taliban, particularly its supreme leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, prompting his refusal to assume the responsibilities of the Ministry of Refugees. Following the assassination of Khalil Haqqani, the former Minister of Refugees, the Haqqani Network had allegedly intended to appoint Khalil’s eldest son, Ahmad Haqqani, as his successor. However, in a surprising decision, Mullah Hibatullah bypassed these plans and appointed Mullah Abdul Kabir to the position.
While Taliban officials have consistently claimed that administrative reshuffles within the regime are routine and that all members are willing to serve in any capacity directed by Mullah Hibatullah, Mullah Kabir’s noncompliance challenges this narrative. Sources further revealed that Mullah Kabir was the first to symbolically endorse Ahmad Haqqani as his late father’s successor. Despite this, he now appears unwilling to serve as Minister of Refugees under the current circumstances.
Moreover, Mullah Hibatullah has yet to appoint a new Deputy Prime Minister to replace Mullah Kabir. According to insiders, escalating tensions between the Haqqani Network and Mullah Hibatullah’s faction, coupled with Mullah Kabir’s apparent discontent, have paralyzed decision-making regarding this key governmental position.
