Removing the title of “Acting” from Taliban officials: Symbolic change or step toward legitimacy

KABUL: On the fourth anniversary of Taliban rule, Hibatullah Akhundzada, the group’s leader, announced in an official message that the title of “acting” would be removed from the names of ministers and officials. This apparent move, according to some observers, reflects the Taliban’s effort to project greater stability and legitimacy within its power structure. However, an assessment by the Institute for Middle Eastern Studies indicates that about 95% of Taliban leadership belongs to a single ethnic group, and there are no women in their cabinet. Experts argue that this ethnically homogeneous composition and the lack of a genuine mechanism for political participation from other ethnicities and groups signify a continuation of “ethnic concentration” policies, which contradict the official rhetoric of “national unity.” In his message, Hibatullah stated that “the appropriate conditions for the development and reconstruction of Afghanistan have been established, and our fellow countrymen are free from linguistic, ethnic, regional, party, and other disputes.” Such statements come at a time when critics view the past four years as a period marked by repression of freedoms, exclusion of women from education and work, and the elimination of political opponents. Analysts believe that the removal of the term “acting” is more of a symbolic gesture aimed at solidifying the image of a “complete government” in both domestic and international perceptions. As long as Taliban leadership remains exclusive and lacks genuine public participation, this title change is unlikely to have a significant impact on the divide between the government and society.