Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy chief of staff, has called on professional Afghans to stay in Afghanistan instead of going abroad.
Speaking at a gathering in Kabul marking the second anniversary of the Doha Accords between the Taliban and the United States, Mr Baradar called on young people to learn technology and work for their country instead of others.
He added: “I call on educated and professional citizens not to leave the country and to stay in the country instead of other countries to rebuild their country Afghanistan.”
On the occasion of the second anniversary of the Doha Accords, Maulvi Abdul Salam Hanafi, another deputy head of the Taliban, said the Taliban were committed to the part of the agreement that said Afghan soil would not be used against others.
He added: “At the same time, we call on others to implement the Doha Agreement.”
In a statement issued on the occasion, the Taliban called on the international community to “open the door to good and virtuous Afghans so that all possible threats are averted.”
The statement called on the so-called “occupiers” to act on the basis of mutual respect.
Earlier in the day, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had said that Afghans should not travel abroad without an “excuse”.
He also said that Afghans who want to travel abroad without any excuse will be barred.
Now, in a recent Twitter message, Mr. Mujahid clarified his earlier remarks, saying that the purpose of his speech was only to ban Afghans from going abroad illegally.
In the nearly six months since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, thousands of educated and professional Afghans have fled or are about to leave the country.
Thousands of people have been deported from Afghanistan, some of whom have gone abroad, but it is still believed that thousands more want to leave the country.
