The Taliban-run government of Afghanistan shut down two election commissions and peace and parliamentarian affairs ministries, deeming them to be "unnecessary institutions".
ADVERTISEMENTThe Taliban dissolved Afghanistan's two election commissions as well as the state ministries for peace and parliamentarian affairs, an official said Sunday.
Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for Afghanistan's Taliban-run government, said the country’s Independent Election Commission and Electoral Complaint Commission have been dissolved.
Karimi said the Taliban also dissolved the Ministry for Peace and the Ministry of Parliamentarian Affairs.
He called them “unnecessary institutions for the current situation in Afghanistan.” He said if there is a need for the commissions in the future, the Taliban government can revive them.
Both elections commissions were mandated to administer and supervise all types of elections in the country, including presidential, parliamentary, and provincial council elections.
The international community is waiting before extending formal recognition to Afghanistan's new rulers.
They are wary the Taliban could impose a similarly harsh regime as when they were in power 20 years ago — despite their assurances to the contrary.
The Taliban had previously shut down the women's affairs ministry.
The current cabinet has no women. In their previous rule of Afghanistan, from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban had barred girls and women from schools, work, and public life.