Abdul Hakim Shari, the Taliban’s minister of justice, said that Saudi Arabia is the “center of the Muslim world” and that Afghan pilgrims should represent their country appropriately while there.
He emphasized that problems in this area could affect relations between Saudi Arabia and the Taliban and lead to increased restrictions on Afghan pilgrims.
Shari made these remarks on Sunday, December 28, during a meeting attended by representatives from the Taliban’s Ministries of Information and Culture, Hajj and Endowments, Foreign Affairs, and the General Directorate of Intelligence.
The meeting focused on preventing drug trafficking to Saudi Arabia, addressing the issue of some pilgrims not returning, and curbing attempts to use Saudi Arabia as a route to other countries.
The Taliban’s minister of justice stressed that the “reputation of the regime” must be maintained and that all Taliban officials should fulfill their responsibilities in this regard.
He instructed the Union of Hajj and Umrah Companies and relevant agencies to resolve issues related to Afghan pilgrims’ travel to Saudi Arabia as quickly as possible.
It was decided at the meeting to establish a committee, headed by the deputy head of tourism at the Ministry of Information and Culture and including representatives from other agencies, to examine the challenges in this sector and propose solutions.
