Mutual understanding and rapprochement between Jamiati Islami and the Taliban are possible, but not between the Taliban and Hekmatyar.
Author: Fazlmanullah Mumtaz, an expert on Afghanistan, especially for Sangar
Important, frontal, and debatable questions: despite the commonality, why are the Taliban suspicious of Hekmatyar? Why is there a gap between the Taliban and Hekmatyar despite significant similarities? Why don't the Taliban accept Hekmatyar?
Hekmatyar has unequivocally declared his military and political support for the Taliban. He issued a fatwa calling opponents of the Taliban "rebels", declared jihad during the American occupation, and even their mutual friends acted as mediators.
Despite all these similarities, the Taliban put Hekmatyar and other opposition parties on the same footing. Even in some cases, the Taliban's relationship with others is better than with Hikmatyar. For example, the universities of Amrullah Saleh, Abdullah Abdullah, Sim Samar, Mohammad Mohakkek, Ayatollah Mohseni, and Abdurab Rasul Sayyaf are now operating, but Hekmatyar University was closed under the pretext of lack of a license.
Naturally, there are other factors, which we will briefly, as far as possible and ethically, mention them:
1 - Differences and contradictions between schools and school mullahs have been cultivated by colonial politicians since ancient times;
2 - Disagreements between schools of thought and religious currents in Pakistan have also left negative repercussions in this regard, especially under the influence of Jamaat-e-Islami (Islamic Community) and Jamiati Ulamoi Islomi (Communities of Islamic Scholars) of Pakistan. Even during the Jihad, these tendencies and differences were well known.
3 - The departure of the Mawlawis from Hizb-e-Islami during the jihad, most of the Taliban are born from the same Mawlawis (Mawlawi Jalaluddin Haqqani was one of the commanders of Hizb-e-Islami at the beginning of jihad. Mawlawi Mansour was one of the members of the party. Now his son is with the Taliban. He is called "Fatih Kabul" (Conqueror of Kabul). Mawlawi Khalis was also a Hizb Islami commander. Now his son Muteulhaq is with the Taliban and heads the Red Crescent. At the lower level, most of the Taliban are former members of Hizb-e-Islami);
4 - Conflict and party wars of the Islamic Party of Hekmatyar with Harakati Inqilob (Revolutionary Movement), Jamaat Da'wa Jamilurrahman, and Mawlawi Mansur;
5 - The first fighting between the Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami took place in Kandahar, Ghazni, Maidan Wardak, and up to Chaharasiyab;
6 - Tough positions and speeches by Hekmatyar in Mazar-i-Sharif, Tehran, Nangarhar and Laghman against the Taliban;
7 - Disarmament of members of Hizb-e-Islami on the fronts and armed conflicts between the two sides;
8 - Inconvenient, fruitless, and ominous world of Hekmatyar with the government of Ghani;
Overall, these are points of contention that kept the Taliban and Hekmatyar from getting closer. In addition, there are other points that cannot be pointed out due to some considerations such as misunderstanding, skewed discussion, and the illiteracy of some people.
As a result, we can say that mutual understanding and rapprochement are possible between Jamiati Islami (the party of Tajiks, the main rivals of the Taliban) and the Taliban, but not between them and Hekmatyar. Despite the fact that Hekmatyar and his supporters are immersed in this illusion day and night, like one-sided lovers, they dream of the love of the Taliban, but the position of the Taliban does not change and will not be changed. In one case, it is possible that Mr. Hekmatyar will swear allegiance to them (make bay'ah) and leave the leadership of the party, but this is impossible.
A number of party members, despite the cold attitude of the Taliban, are forced to confirm their position, and this is caused by other external and internal factors. For example, some of them are glad that their longtime political rival, Jamiati Islami, has been removed from the scene of power and wealth. Because they had tasted the most severe punishment in 30 years from them, they felt defeated and oppressed. Some approve of the petty instincts and revenge of the Taliban and support the Islamic system only because they are really tired of the war and want stability.
And yet let's see how Hekmatyar's one-sided love ends. Afghanistan is a country of surprises, only very scary and uncomfortable ones.