Islamabad – Afghan political leaders and prominent women activists convened in Islamabad this week for a high-level, two-day summit aimed at “shaping a collective, regionally supported vision for Afghanistan’s peaceful future,” according to organizers.

The dialogue, titled “Regional Discourse Towards Unity and Trust,” began on Monday, marking the first major gathering of Taliban opposition figures outside of Afghanistan since the group’s takeover in 2021.

The conference is the collective initiative of Women for Afghanistan (WFA), headed by Fawzia Koofi, and South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) University, the goal of which is to encourage inclusive and positive deliberations amongst different elites of Afghanistan and their Pakistani counterparts.

According to the organizers, the most important objective is to build a unified ground and to identify common principles for Afghanistan’s future stability, inclusivity, and peaceful resolution, with a strong belief that there should be reaffirmation of support for the rights of women and their inclusion.

Demand for a Political Office

The significance of the closed-door meeting was immediately amplified by a bold proposal emerging from the Afghan participants.

Sources from within the Islamabad meeting told Oxus that attendees strongly advocated for the formal creation of a political office for Taliban opposition groups in Pakistan.

One of the attendees, human rights defender Ezatullah Bakhshi, confirmed that the topic was discussed during the first day and that a structured, secure hub is needed to organize the coordination.

This call is an indication of the wish of the opposition, comprising 37 invited Afghan figures of the earlier governments of Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani, including former governors, ministers, and lawmakers, to institutionalize their political presence and strategy within the regional scene.

The initial day was fully devoted to the Afghan leaders, and they were left to openly interact, share their views, and set out common values of stability, rule of law, and renewal of their support for women’s rights and inclusion. This focused agenda highlights the critical role women activists, such as WFA leader Fawzia Koofi, are playing in articulating the principles of a future Afghan state based on people’s sovereignty.

Controversy and Defense of Afghan Autonomy

The decision by Pakistan to host the event did not come without controversy.

The meeting, which was initially planned at the end of August, was met with sharp criticism by international personalities, including Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special envoy to Afghanistan.

Khalilzad termed the meeting “unwise,” arguing on X that Pakistan’s “seeming support of them [the opposition] by hosting their conference is hugely unwise and an intended provocation.”

But the organizers and the participants held on to their right to meet and to decide how their country can be.

Former Afghan parliamentarian Fawzia Koofi countered the criticism, asking, “Isn’t it time to let us craft what is good for us?”

The organizers have made it clear that the gathering is not against the Taliban government, but rather a necessary platform that propagates dialogue amongst the various sections of the Afghan society.

Bilateral Relations and Shared Security Challenges

The Islamabad dialogue is taking place against the complex backdrop of improving, yet tense, Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.

Bilateral ties have recently seen positive steps, including the revival of the Joint Coordination Committee and the upgrading of diplomatic ranks.

Economic cooperation has also advanced, highlighted by the agreement signed during Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s visit to Kabul in July for the Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan railway project to boost regional connectivity.

However, the core security friction remains a major hurdle. Islamabad has repeatedly demanded that Kabul act against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The second day of the conference, scheduled for September 30th, will feature a crucial Joint Pak-Afghan Session focusing on “building trust, identifying common ground and advancing a people-centric approach to address regional challenges.” The dialogue, organizers stress, aims to promote sustainable development, stability, and peace rooted in shared values.

As the organizers conclude, “The dialogue underscores a simple truth: peace between people leads to peace between nations.”