India Demands Sanctions Against New Taliban Leader Haibatullah

The Afghani Taliban had named Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative cleric in his 50s, as its leader last month.

The new Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada. (Photo Courtesy: YouTube Screengrab)

India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin demanded that the UN slap sanctions against the new Taliban leader in Afghanistan, saying it is “sheer folly” that the leader of an organisation such as the Taliban has not yet been designated a terrorist.

The Afghani Taliban had named Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative cleric in his 50s, as its new leader last month. The US State Department had said in a press briefing at the time that Akhundzada was not on any kind of terror list.

Previously, India had slammed the UN Sanctions Committee for taking a “selective approach” in tackling terrorism when a technical hold was put on its application to include the name of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief, Masood Azhar on the committee’s list of designated terrorists.

(With PTI inputs)