Afghan citizens have launched a petition urging the U.S. government to expel Mirza Mohammad Katawazai, former deputy speaker of Afghanistan’s Parliament, who reportedly established close ties with the Taliban after the fall of the republic.

Photos obtained by Arg Times show that in Katawazai’s office, a picture of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar is displayed instead of former President Ashraf Ghani. He has also reportedly met with senior Taliban officials, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban interior minister.

Sources have sent images claiming that Katawazai entered the United States on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV). This comes as thousands of Afghan citizens who previously worked with U.S. forces or agencies remain at risk, with their immigration cases stalled since the start of the Trump administration.

The key question remains: how did Katawazai pass U.S. security vetting? Were his ties with U.S. officials a factor in the visa issuance?

Arg Times continues to follow this developing story.