▁and ▁dem ocr atic ▁elections , ▁also ▁inv iting ▁the ▁Tal ib an ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁process . ▁Mass oud ▁had ▁un ited ▁political ▁and ▁cultural ▁personal ities , ▁govern ors , ▁command ers , ▁cl erg ymen ▁and ▁represent atives ▁to ▁reach ▁a ▁last ing ▁agreement . ▁Mass oud , ▁like ▁most ▁people ▁in ▁Afghan istan , ▁saw ▁this ▁conference ▁as ▁a ▁small ▁hope ▁for ▁dem ocracy ▁and ▁for ▁free ▁elections . ▁His ▁favour ite ▁for ▁candid acy ▁to ▁the ▁presiden cy ▁was ▁Dr . ▁Moh amm ad ▁Y us uf , ▁the ▁first ▁dem ocr atic ▁prime ▁minister ▁under ▁Z ah ir ▁Shah , ▁the ▁former ▁king . ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁meeting ▁represent atives ▁from ▁ 1 5 ▁different ▁Afghan ▁provinces ▁met , ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁meeting ▁there ▁were ▁already ▁ 2 5 ▁provinces ▁particip ating . ▁Mass oud ▁went ▁un ar med ▁to ▁talk ▁to ▁several ▁Tal ib an ▁leaders ▁in ▁Ma idan ▁Sh ar , ▁but ▁the ▁Tal ib an ▁decl ined ▁to ▁join ▁this ▁political ▁process . ▁When ▁Mass oud ▁returned ▁safely , ▁the ▁Tal ib an ▁leader ▁who ▁had ▁received ▁him ▁as ▁his ▁guest ▁paid ▁with ▁his ▁life : ▁he ▁was ▁killed ▁by ▁other ▁senior ▁Tal ib an ▁for ▁failing ▁to ▁execute ▁Mass oud ▁while ▁the ▁possibility ▁was ▁there . ▁ ▁The ▁Tal ib an ▁started ▁shell ing ▁Kab ul ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁but ▁were ▁defeated ▁by ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁State ▁government ▁under ▁A hm ad ▁Shah ▁Mass oud . ▁Am