The Taliban have banned Mahmood Karzai – a former minister and brother of former President Hamid Karzai – from traveling abroad, a source confirmed to Kabul Now. The source adds that he is now under house arrest.
According to the source, the Taliban arrested Mahmood Karzai on Sunday, November 07, at Kabul International Airport. Karzai was held for a while inside the airport compound and later moved to the house of Younus Mohmand, Chairman of Afghanistan´s Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
Mahmood Karzai was arrested by the Taliban at the airport when he wanted to leave Kabul for Dubai, the United Arabic Emirate.
Mahmood is the brother of former President Hamid Karzai and was serving as Minister of Urban Development and Land when the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
As per details shared by the source, Mahmood Karzai is facing a legal dispute with his business shareholder in Ayno Maina – the largest township development project in the southern Kandahar province.
The Taliban held a dispute resolution meeting between two sides of the dispute last week, but to no avail, the source added.
Another source said that the Taliban have told Mahmood Karzai that he will not be able to leave Afghanistan until his dispute is not resolved with Hamid Helmandi – another shareholder of Ayno Maina project.
Meanwhile, Bilal Karimi, a deputy spokesperson for the Taliban administration, rejected the arrest of Mahmood Karzai. He, however, confirmed that Mahmood Karzai is banned from traveling due to ongoing legal disputes.
Karimi added that he could go abroad once his legal dispute is resolved. The Taliban have also imposed a travel ban on former President Hamid Karzai.
