Kabul: Abdul Salam Zaeef, the former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, has urged the leadership of the Islamic Emirate to convene a gathering of Islamic scholars to resolve the ongoing ban on girls' education. He emphasized that such a move would be in the best interest of all parties and would help remove existing obstacles.
Zaeef expressed concerns over the international political pressures being exerted under the guise of human rights, saying that these efforts, particularly by the United Nations, fail to positively impact Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation. Instead, he warned, such actions could exacerbate the existing humanitarian crisis.
In a statement on his social media platform X, Zaeef called on international courts to remain impartial and resist becoming tools for political agendas.
On the other hand, speaking at a gathering in Quetta organized by the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, its leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai downplayed the Taliban's policy of banning girls’ education. He argued that Afghanistan faces far greater challenges that demand attention from both Afghans and the international community.
Achakzai stated that the issue of girls’ education is not new, claiming that Pashtun women historically have not pursued formal education. Referring to the matter with a rhetorical question, he remarked, "Did your mother go to school?"
Pashtuns across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Afghanistan and around the world, along with human rights activists, have strongly criticized Mahmood Khan Achakzai's statement.
