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Tag: Taliban

  • ‘Taliban didn’t keep their promise’: Malala reacts to closing of girls’ high schools in Afghanistan

    ‘Taliban didn’t keep their promise’: Malala reacts to closing of girls’ high schools in Afghanistan

    Nobel Laureate and Women’s Education Rights Activist Malala Yousafzai has reacted to the closing of girls’ high schools in Afghanistan. Taking to Twitter, Malala wrote, “I had one hope for today: that Afghan girls walking to school would not be sent back home. But the Taliban did not keep their promise. They will keep finding excuses to stop girls from learning – because they are afraid of educated girls and empowering women.”

    She also used the hashtag #LetAfghanGirlsLearn

    The Taliban administration yesterday announced that girls’ high schools in Afghanistan will be closed, and no female child above the sixth grade will be allowed to attend school. The announcement came only a few hours after they reopened for the first time in nearly seven months.

    Read more- Taliban close girls’ high schools

  • Taliban close girls’ high schools

    Taliban close girls’ high schools

    The Taliban administration has announced that girls’ high schools in Afghanistan will be closed, and no female child above the sixth grade will be allowed to attend school. The announcement came only few hours after they reopened for the first time in nearly seven months.

    As per a government news agency, Ministry of Education notice said on Wednesday that schools for girls would be closed until a plan was drawn up in accordance with Islamic law and Afghan culture.

    “We inform all girls high schools and those schools that are having female students above class six that they are off until the next order,” said the notice.

    Taliban spokesman Inamullah Samangani confirmed the news to AFP.

    The United Nations’ Mission to Afghanistan in a tweet said, : “The UN in Afghanistan deplores today’s reported announcement by the Taliban that they are further extending their indefinite ban on female students above the 6th grade being permitted to return school.”

  • Taliban leader Sirajuddin Haqqani makes first public appearance

    Taliban leader Sirajuddin Haqqani makes first public appearance

    Afghanistan’s Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, who also heads the feared Haqqani Network, was photographed openly for the first time Saturday at a passing-out parade for new Afghan police recruits.

    “For your satisfaction and for building your trust… I am appearing in the media in a public meeting with you,” he said in a speech at the parade.

    Before the Taliban’s return, Haqqani was the most senior of the three deputies to leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

    Haqqani heads a powerful subset of the Taliban blamed for some of the worst violence of the past 20 years.

    The Haqqani Network, founded in the 1970s by Jalaluddin Haqqani, was heavily supported by the CIA during the Mujahideen war against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

    Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is believed to be in his 40s, is his son and succeeded him following his death in 2018.

    Sirajuddin was blamed for the deadly 2008 attack on Kabul’s Serena Hotel that killed six people, as well as at least one assassination attempt against former Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

    He is reported to have been the target of several US drone strikes — in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and in the rugged terrain between them that is the heartland of the Haqqani Network.

    He was also credited as the author of a New York Times opinion piece in 2020 titled “What We, the Taliban, Want”, sparking controversy that the newspaper had given “terrorists” a public platform.

  • Afghans forced to sell kidneys as struggle to feed children continues

    Afghans forced to sell kidneys as struggle to feed children continues

    In the western city of Herat, a nearby area is known as “one kidney village” as Afghans are willing to sacrifice an organ to save and feed their families. 

    The country’s financial situation has gotten worse after the Taliban’s takeover which has left tens of thousands of Afghans, jobless, debt-ridden, and struggling.

    Nooruddin, 32 told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that he quit his factory job when his salary was slashed to $30 (Rs5,323) but after he was unable to find another one, in desperation, he sold a kidney as a short term fix. 

    He said he regrets it now as he can no longer work. “I’m in pain and I cannot lift anything heavy”, he added. Nooruddin was among eight people AFP spoke to who had sold a kidney— some for as little as $1,500 (Rs266,175).

    Shakila is a mother of two and at the age of 19, sold her kidney for $1,500 to settle the family’s debt. AFP reported that a mother-of-three Aziza was waiting for her opportunity.

    Aziza said, “If I don’t sell my kidney, I will be forced to sell my one-year-old daughter.” 

    The practice of selling an organ is unregulated in Afghanistan. A former top Afghan surgeon stated, “There is no law to control how the organs can be donated or sold, but the consent of the donor is necessary.” He added that they never investigate how or where the patient or donor comes from because it’s not their job.

    The country is in dire need of foreign aid. Last month, United States (US) President Joe Biden signed an executive order to release Afghan assets worth $7 billion but Biden split the money between humanitarian aid for war-torn Afghanistan and a fund for September 11 attacks victims.

     

  • ‘I know India much more than rest of my own countrymen’: PM Khan

    ‘I know India much more than rest of my own countrymen’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Sunday said that no one in Pakistan knows India better than him. PM Khan was talking to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria about Pakistan’s relations with India.

    “I understand and know India much more than the rest of my own countrymen or probably all over the world,” said PM Imran Khan, adding that he has many friends in India.

    Racist RSS ideology has taken over India: PM Imran Khan

    “The moment my government came into power, the first thing I did was reach out to India. I told them [PM Narendra Modi] if he took one step forward, I would take two. Our only issue is Kashmir, and we should solve it like good neighbours on the dialogue table,” said PM Khan.

    “Unfortunately Fareed, there is a tragedy unfolding in India. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideology has taken over India. We are in this day of information technology. All we have to do is Google who are the founding fathers of RSS,” said the premier.

    “It’s a racist ideology which has taken over India. It’s an ideology that assassinated the great Gandhi. It’s very difficult to come to terms with the ideology,” said the prime minister.

    “We have made no headways. But my worry is Fareed that what is going on in India is much more damaging for India than for Pakistan,” added PM Khan.

    The only option the world has right now is to engage with the Taliban for things to move forward: PM Khan

     The premier further talked about Pakistan’s diplomatic relations with the new Taliban government in Afghanistan and the current state of the war on terror.

    PM Khan said that sooner or later, the Taliban will have to be recognised by the world as it is about the well-being and future of about 40 million Afghans.

    “Forty million people in Afghanistan are in dire straits because of the ongoing situation in the country,” the premier said, adding that the people of the United States (US) should understand that disliking the Taliban government is one thing but thinking about the welfare of the Afghans is another as they are facing “extreme difficulties”.

    “Afghanistan is on the verge of experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis,” PM Imran Khan said. “Considering the circumstances, is there any other alternative to the Taliban in Afghanistan? No, there isn’t.”

    “Therefore, the only alternative we have is to work with the Taliban government [for the sake of the Afghans] because turning the Taliban away would only lead to chaos in the country,” PM Imran Khan reiterated. 

    He went on to say that the US’ War on Terror (WoT) backfired and increased the number of terrorists worldwide, adding that because of the war, there had been extensive casualties in Pakistan as more than 80,000 Pakistani citizens lost their lives during the war.

    “Pakistan had to bear the brunt of the war in Afghanistan by witnessing numerous suicide attacks,” he said. “The US must reconsider its policy on carrying out drone attacks.”

    The situation in Xinjiang is not what the western media portrays: Premier

    When asked about China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims, PM Khan said that Pakistan’s ambassador to China Moin ul Haq had visited Xinjiang and said that the situation over there is “not what the western media portrays”.

    The premier said that a comparison of Pakistan’s condemnation of India committing genocide of innocent people in occupied Kashmir and the issue of Xinjiang is not fair.

    “Occupied Kashmir is a disputed territory between Pakistan and India and India is ruled by an RSS ideology,” the premier said. “Until the Kashmir issue is resolved, the fear of war between the two nuclear powers will remain intact.”

  • Biden faces backlash for keeping $3.5 billion for 9/11 victims from Afghan assets

    United States (US) President Joe Biden has signed an executive order to release and split the Afghan assets worth $7 billion between humanitarian aid for war-torn Afghanistan and a fund for September 11 attacks victims, reports Associated Press (AP).

    In a statement, Washington said, “The order is designed to provide a path for the funds to reach the people of Afghanistan while keeping them out of the hands of the Taliban and malicious actors.”

    Half of the frozen assets worth $3.5 billion would go to trust funds for distribution through humanitarian groups for Afghan relief and basic needs. However, the other $3.5 billion would stay in the US and remain “subject to ongoing litigation by US victims of terrorism” as still, 9/11 victims’ relatives have ongoing lawsuits.

    Moreover, the Biden administration states that the procedure for the release of Afghan assets will take months.

    Afghanistan has more than $9 billion in reserves, including just over $7 billion in reserves held in the US. The rest is largely in Germany, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Switzerland. The amount is largely derived from donations by the US and other nations to Afghanistan. 

    In response, Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem lashed out at the US. He tweeted, “The theft and seizure of money frozen by the United States of the Afghan people represent the lowest level of the human and moral decay of a country and a nation.”

    Twitterati criticised Biden’s decision and urged the US to release the funds to prevent famine in Afghanistan. Presently, the country is facing a major humanitarian crisis.

    It is pertinent to mention that Afghanistan’s economy is on the verge of collapse. The United Nations (UN) has said 96 per cent of Afghans could fall into poverty in 2022.

  • Taliban fighters no longer allowed to carry weapons in amusement parks

    Taliban fighters no longer allowed to carry weapons in amusement parks

    Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid announced on Wednesday that Taliban fighters will no longer be allowed to carry their weapons in amusement parks in Afghanistan.

    In a tweet, Mujahid said, “Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate are not allowed to enter amusement parks with weapons, military uniforms and vehicles. They are obliged to abide by all the rules and regulations of amusement parks.”

    Taliban fighters have spent most of their lives in a 20-year insurgency against the United States (US) and its backed government in Afghanistan.

    After their takeover, Reuters spoke to Taliban fighters and they revealed that they had never been to Kabul until the Taliban took control of the capital [Kabul] on August 15. Some were eager to visit amusement parks before returning to duties around the country.

    In October, some pictures of the Taliban with machine guns in an amusement park went viral on social media.

  • Taliban deny reports of involvement in Kazakhstan unrest

    Taliban deny reports of involvement in Kazakhstan unrest

    A spokesperson for the Afghan Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, has rejected all media reports of their involvement in fuelling the unrest in the Central Asia country, Kazakhstan, reports The Express Tribune.

    “We strongly reject such allegations and reports,” Mujahid claimed.

    He further added, “We have reiterated many times that the Afghan soil wouldn’t be used against any country, and we believe in zero interference in the affairs of other countries.”

    The Taliban spokesman also demanded a peaceful solution to the unrest in the country.

    “We believe in and demand a peaceful solution to the unrest of Kazakhstan and assure that we will not pose any threat or danger to the peaceful environment of the neighbourhood.”

    In January, several people were killed in the clash with security forces during a protest over a high price of the Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Almaty city, Kazakhstan.

    Initially, the protest began in the western region of Mangystau province and spread to other parts of the country.

    President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev imposed a state of emergency in the Almaty city and hydrocarbon-rich western region of Mangystau effective from January 5 until January 19.

  • Taliban to be blamed for missing journalist, says rights group

    Taliban to be blamed for missing journalist, says rights group

    A journalists’ rights groups in Afghanistan said that the Taliban have arrested two Afghan journalists working for a local news channel, weeks after two female activists went missing.

    The rights group known as the Afghan Media Association, without naming anyone said that reporters Waris Hasrat and Aslam Hijab were picked up by masked gunmen in front of the channel’s office. They went out for lunch on Monday “and taken to an unknown location”.

    They said Taliban officials are investigating the matter and have given them insurance. However, a spokesperson told AFP he had no information on the missing journalists.

    Moreover, rights group Amnesty International demanded on Twitter that the Taliban “unconditionally and immediately release” the two.

    Two weeks earlier, two female activists went missing after taking part in a demonstration in Kabul for women’s rights.

    Previously, in September several Afghan journalists were beaten while covering rallies.

  • Taliban to reopen universities, silence on female students maintained

    Taliban to reopen universities, silence on female students maintained

    The Taliban acting Higher Education Minister Shaikh Abdul Baqi Haqqani has made an announcement that the public universities will be opened next month, i.e. February, across the country without specifying whether female students would be able to return or not.

    According to Reuters, the minister said universities in warmer provinces will reopen from February 2, while those in colder areas would reopen on February 26.

    The minister did not say what arrangements, if any, would be made for female students. However, earlier this month, government officials said that they hope to open all schools for girls and women in the country after March 21 but stressed that girls and boys must be completely segregated in schools.

    Since Taliban’s takeover in August, girls in most of Afghanistan have not been allowed back to school beyond grade seven. However, private universities in Kabul are still operating.

    Western governments have made education for female students a part of their demands as the Taliban seek more foreign aid and the unfreezing of overseas assets for which they have called Muslim countries to recognise them and made a recent visit to Oslo, Norway, where they presented their demands.