Mohammad Khan, a former deputy to Abdullah Abdullah, who served as chief executive of Afghanistan’s National Unity Government, has returned to Kabul from Iran through the Taliban’s Commission for Contact with Afghan Personalities.
The commission announced his return on Saturday, 16 Aqrab, in a social media statement, describing it as part of its programme to establish contact with Afghan political figures living abroad and encourage them to return.
According to the commission, Khan welcomed his return and expressed appreciation for the organisation’s efforts. The statement also quoted him as urging Afghans living outside the country to return and contribute to reconstruction, national unity and social solidarity.
Khan served as Abdullah Abdullah’s first deputy during the National Unity Government, led by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani. He was also among the senior figures associated with the Hezb-e-Islami faction led by Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal.
The Taliban established the Commission for Contact with Afghan Personalities to encourage former officials and political figures to return to Afghanistan. The initiative has been presented by the Taliban as an effort to bring back Afghans who left the country.
However, the commission’s announcement did not provide details about when Khan left Afghanistan, how long he had been living in Iran, or the circumstances surrounding his return. It also did not specify whether any political conditions or security assurances were discussed.
Khan’s return adds to the Taliban’s efforts to encourage former political figures to come back. But an individual’s decision to return does not, on its own, establish that broader political participation or guarantees for returning figures are in place. The practical conditions facing former officials and political opponents who consider returning remain an important unanswered question.
