Could the devastating natural disaster in Afghanistan be a turning point for a Taliban government in the midst of a crisis?
After breaking promises around human rights when he came to power last year, the Taliban have firmly lost all hope of engagement and diplomatic talks with much of the West, including the United Kingdom.
Her decision to drop the promise that all girls could go to school in March has certainly been a factor in the limited international response to the earthquake that has affected so many: the death toll is believed to exceed 1,000 people.
In recent days in Kabul, Sky News spoke with two senior members of the Taliban government; both are hurt by the damage done to their country and also want the United States to lift financial sanctions, believing that “it is a basic right to human life.”
But speaking with a senior British diplomat, any possibility of this is far from over until the Taliban are ready to improve their position on human rights.
At the Foreign Ministry, we met with Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the department’s spokesman. He acknowledged to me that the Taliban “shot us in the foot” when it came to banning access to high school girls, but reiterated that it is a problem they are solving very soon.
A sign, perhaps, that they are aware of the diplomatic damage the measure caused.
When asked if they were willing to sit at the table with Western governments and commit to improving their human rights, Balkhi said, “If we look at sanctions, if we look at collective punishment, our history it really is, many times better than what they have.
“So speaking of moral superiority, ours is up here and their (West) is on the brink.”
He also blamed the coalition for the country’s current infrastructure that has proved inadequate for a major natural disaster: the worst earthquake in Afghanistan in two decades.
“The lack of basic infrastructure in the last 20 years”
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0:46 The Taliban criticize the West for responding to the earthquake
Balkhi added: “The problem stems from the 20 years of employment and the lack of basic infrastructure that has not been built over the last 20 years.
“In terms of resources, they are sanctions and the freezing of assets and the insensitive attitudes of the world towards Afghanistan.”
Balkhi’s colleague in the Ministry of Disasters and Emergencies, Ghulam Ghaus, is a senior member of the Taliban.
I had just returned from Gayan, one of the most affected areas when we spoke to him.
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His department has been tasked with responding to Wednesday’s quake and declined to say there was a formal response plan for the event.
The images and stories coming out of the eastern region certainly suggest not.
He said: “The roads are not in good condition, most villages are very far away because they are in mountainous areas and therefore it is important for us to rebuild these roads.
“But because we won the battle and have only been in power for nine months, it’s not possible to rebuild it everywhere.”
Image: A Taliban helicopter takes off after bringing aid to the scene of the earthquake
‘Where is Europe? Where is America?
He also blamed US and NATO forces for not investing in infrastructure while they were here.
But while playing the guilt game, Mr Ghaus also asked the West to help them in their time of crisis.
What was incredibly touching when she spoke to him was how excited she was when she remembered her visit to Paktika province.
It was the first time I or any member of our team saw a member of the Taliban government cry.
These men, who usually look strong, powerful, and often quite intimidating, actually showed pain and emotion and could be a turning point.
Mr Ghaus shared a story of how he bought expired cookies while in the disaster area and shared them with two children who had lost everything, including their parents.
In tears, he said, “Where is Europe? Where is America? Where is the international community? These people need mercy and must help us.”
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2:36 Earthquake in Afghanistan: Lifeguards search for survivors
Perhaps the despair after the earthquake could be a moment of brutal but much needed realization.
This earthquake is the biggest test in Afghanistan after crisis after crisis.
From the worst drought in nearly four decades, to some of the highest poverty rates in history, this is a government that was simply unprepared.
They will have to think strategically from here when help is needed once again so that they are not abandoned once again.