Tag: Afghan Taliban

  • Pakistan security forces repel Afghan Taliban aggression

    Pakistan security forces repel Afghan Taliban aggression

    Pakistan security forces successfully foiled an attempt at aggression by Afghan Taliban forces at the Naushki-Ghazni sector along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

    Afghanistan forces opened fire at Pakistan security forces, who in response targeted Afghan checkpoints in its counteraction, security sources told Dawn News.

    Fire was exchanged while Pakistan security forces were doing fence repair work; Pakistan’s effective retaliation resulted in heavy casualties among the Afghan troops.

    The Afghan forces had carried out border violations in the past, as last month, the Afghan Taliban initiated heavy firing targeting Pakistani checkposts from the Afghan region of Plosi.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan forces on Wednesday killed two terrorists who were trying to enter a camp of Frontier Corps (FC) in the Zhob district of Balochistan.

    Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement, claimed that terrorist Umar alias Umari, who was involved in numerous activities against security forces as well as innocent civilians, including the recent attack on a convoy of Deputy Commissioner Sherani, has also been killed in retaliation.

    However, the military media wing stated that one soldier was martyred.

  • Pakistan should not make more enemies, cautions Taliban Refugee Minister

    Pakistan should not make more enemies, cautions Taliban Refugee Minister

    The Taliban government’s refugees minister, Khalil Haqqani, has said in an interview with AFP that, “They [Pakis­tani authorities] should not give Afghans a hard time, they should not make more enemies.” The statement was said in the context of the mass exodus of refugees from Pakistan under the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.

    Authorities on the Afghanistan side have established centres several kilometres from a border crossing along with camps for families in what was described as an “emergency situation” by the Afghan officials. “We are constantly in contact with them [Pakis­tani authorities] asking for more time. People must be allowed to return with dignity,” he reiterated.

    Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi also visited the Torkham border and asserted that the deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan is in violation of International laws. He also mentioned that the ones coming back are their brethren and this is their home. To address all their problems will be the first priority of the government.

  • Activist Malala Yousafzai sends support to Afghanistan women’s football team

    Women’s rights activist and Noble Prize winner Malala Yousafzai has expressed her support for the women’s football team from Afghanistan, who were banned by the current Taliban government from playing the sport after the takeover in 2021. Currently, the team resides in Melbourne, Australia, where they escaped to in 2021, but right now the football team is not recognised by the government or the FIFA organisation.

    “I’m very sad. I was expecting a lot more for football’s governing body,” said Khalida Popal, who was the former captain of the women’s football team.

    “[Fifa needs] to stand with these women. We want leadership – we need a strong voice to stand with us. Don’t keep silent.”

    Currently, the Afghanistan Women’s Football team is being sponsored by the Australian professional football club Melbourne Victory, and now activist and Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai has joined the ranks in calling for the team to be recognised by FIFA.

    The producer behind ‘Joyland’ was in Melbourne to watch the Women’s World Cup and shared a post of her meeting the team members of the Afghanistan women’s football team, writing that she was inspired by their bravery and determination.

    “I came to Melbourne because of a story. The New York Times published an incredible account of the keeper for the Afghanistan Women’s Team and how its founder @khalida_popal_girlpower helped the players escape near-certain death after the Taliban gained control and banned women’s sports. I was inspired by their bravery and determination. They were so proud to play for their national team and now they were burying their jerseys to avoid being caught and killed.

    Today, I finally met the AWT in person— including Fatima and Khalida — to continue to support their campaign to be recognised by FIFA. This is the power of stories and why we must continue to share them. You never know who could be listening.”

    The Pakistan-born activist urged her followers to read more about the football team and to donate funds to help support them as they live in exile and away from their families

  • Gomal University, are you listening? Women deserve the same education as men

    Gomal University, are you listening? Women deserve the same education as men

    Gomal University in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Dera Ismail Khan implemented a total ban on joint gatherings of male and female students on campus. The university issued a notification in this regard on Wednesday, which stated: “Gathering/coupling (male and female) is totally banned in any ground, roads etc. beyond the premises of department. Female students are directed to be careful and limit themselves just in their class rooms and department common rooms.” Interestingly, the notification was issued a day after Valentine’s Day.

    The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) rightly demanded that the notification must be withdrawn immediately. HRCP said that it takes strong exception to the said notification and that “segregation will reinforce a culture of ignorance and inequality”. This notification reminds us of the Afghan Taliban and their regressive mindset. Universities are not supposed to ask women to restrict themselves or limit themselves. In fact, universities are the learning grounds for both men and women so that they are prepared to go out into the world once they finish their education. This is the year 2023, a world where that is progressing rapidly and then comes such actions and/or notifications that make us question our choices towards education and developing critical mindsets. Are we against women’s education or moves like these are done just for restricting and policing women? We must not forget that in a patriarchal society like ours, females are told how to sit how to speak, how to dress. Policing of women’s behaviour is quite common in our country. Every year at Aurat March, the women are told not to raise slogans that challenge patriarchy, that challenge their own lived experiences. They are told by men, who have no idea what it is to be a woman in Pakistan, on what to do, what to say, what words to use for their slogans, what tone to take when they chant those slogans, how to ask for their rights, etc.

    According to the university administration, the decision would help provide a better and safer environment for female students. If it is all about safety, then one thinks of how is it logical that restricting the movement of women would help in providing security. The regressive outlook makes us one wonder if the male-dominated university administration would enforce the same or stricter curbs on the movement of male students and will the same kinds of bans and limitation be put on male students?

    In 2018, the KP government called for banning the entry of male MPs and politicians in girls’ schools as guest speakers. In 2019, the provincial government decided to make the wearing of an abaya or burka mandatory. And now a ban on joint gatherings by a university. We can only hope that those who make such rules understand that universities are a place for education. They act as places where individuals are trained, developed and prepared to be change-makers, influencers and leaders. Imagine how such restrictions and bans will hamper students’ growth and evolution. We hope these regressive double standards end, and both our men and women are treated equally.

  • US restricts visa for Taliban for anti-women policies

    US restricts visa for Taliban for anti-women policies

    United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced new visa restrictions against the Taliban on Wednesday in response to the Afghan administration’s prohibitions on women’s employment and education.

    “I am taking action today to impose additional visa restrictions on certain current or former Taliban members, members of non-state security groups, and other individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, repressing women and girls in Afghanistan,” Blinken said in a statement.

    The Taliban have put several limitations on Afghan women since regaining power in August 2021, including prohibiting them from holding public office, going to secondary and higher education institutions, or visiting parks.

    They forbade NGOs from working with Afghan women towards the end of December, causing a number of organisations to halt their operations.

  • Taliban defend ban on female education, say women did not observe Hijab

    Taliban defend ban on female education, say women did not observe Hijab

    The minister of higher education in Afghanistan’s Taliban government has given the reason that compelled their administration to ban female education in the country. Acting Higher Education Minister, Neda Mohammad Nadeem, while talking to an Afghan state broadcaster said, “They didn’t observe Hijab; they were coming with the clothes that most women wear to a wedding.”.

    He said the decision was made due to a number of reasons including female students’ inappropriate Islamic clothing and interactions between students of different genders.
    “Girls were studying agriculture and engineering, but this didn’t match Afghan culture. Girls should learn, but not in areas that go against Islam and Afghan honour.”

    The Taliban on Tuesday (December 20) banned women from universities in Afghanistan. The statement was made by the minister of higher education, who stated that it will go into effect right away.

    “You all are informed to implement the mentioned order of suspending education of females until further notice,” said the letter signed by the minister for higher education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem. The letter was issued to all government and private universities.
    The decision was condemned across the globe, with U.N.’s mission in Afghanistan asking the Taliban-run administration to “immediately” revoke the ban.

  • Afghan Taliban ban women from entering public parks, funfairs

    Afghan Taliban ban women from entering public parks, funfairs

    Afghan Taliban have banned Afghan women from entering Kabul’s public parks and funfairs.

    “For the past 15 months, we tried our best to arrange and sort it out – and even specified the days,” said Mohammad Akif Sadeq Mohajir, spokesperson for the Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Promotion of Virtue. “But still, in some places – in fact, we must say in many places – the rules were violated,” he told AFP.
    “There was mixing [of men and women], hijab was not observed, that’s why the decision has been taken for now,” he stated.

    Women and park operators, who have spent a lot of money creating the facilities, were shocked by the news.

    “There are no schools, no work … we should at least have a place to have fun,” said one woman, who asked to be identified only as Wahida, as she watched her children play in a park through the window of an adjoining restaurant. “We are just bored and fed-up with being at home all day, our minds are tired,” she told AFP.

    In May this year Taliban barred men and women from dining together and attending parks at the same time in the Western city of Herat, considered a liberal city in comparison to other cities of the country.

    “There are no schools, no work … we should at least have a place to have fun,” said one ewoman, who asked to be identified only as Wahida, as she watched her children play in a park through the window of an adjoining restaurant. “We are just bored and fed-up with being at home all day, our minds are tired,” she told AFP.

    In May this year Taliban barred men and women in the western Afghan city of Herat, from dining together and attending parks at the same time, according to an official.

    Herat is considered a liberal city in comparison to other cities of the country.

    Despite the international community stating that education for girls is a key demand for any future recognition of the Taliban administration, the group has barred Afghan girls from going to school beyond the seventh grade. Moreover, they have restricted women and girls from working and have limited travel for them unless accompanied by a close male relative.

  • Taliban ask female TV anchors to cover faces, male anchors wear face masks in solidarity

    Taliban ask female TV anchors to cover faces, male anchors wear face masks in solidarity

    Days after the Taliban issued an order requiring female TV presenters to cover their faces at work, their male colleagues went on air wearing face masks in solidarity. Male anchors from numerous major news organisations, including TOLO News and 1TV News, have initiated a social media campaign posting images of themselves with the hashtag #FreeHerFace.

    https://twitter.com/heatherbarr1/status/1529158595773771776

    In the pictures circulating on social media, male and female staff members of a news channel can be seen sitting together in an office full of screens, all wearing black masks.

    Male anchors of TOLO News and 1TV News went on air with their face masks on.

    Taliban officials announced earlier this month that all women and girls must leave home only when necessary and wear head-to-toe clothing when out in public.

    Read more- Taliban orders TV presenters to cover their faces on air, Twitter protests

    Taliban authorities have also prohibited girls from attending school after sixth grade, reversing previous Taliban promises that girls of all ages would be permitted to attend school.

  • Taliban imposes new ban, men and women cannot eat out together

    Taliban imposes new ban, men and women cannot eat out together

    Taliban officials have barred men and women in the western Afghan city of Herat, from dining together and attending parks at the same time, according to an official.

    Herat is considered a liberal city in comparison to other cities of the country.

    Riazullah Seerat, a Taliban official at the Ministry for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Herat, said authorities “have instructed that men and women be segregated in restaurants”.

    He told AFP that owners have been verbally warned that the rule applies “even if they are husband and wife”. One Afghan woman who did not wish to be identified said the manager told her and her husband to sit separately at a Herat restaurant on Wednesday.

    Driving instructors in Herat have been told to stop granting licenses to female drivers. Women have been prohibited from traveling alone across the country, and officials have instructed women to cover up completely in public, preferably with a burqa.

  • US to pressure Taliban if they don’t remove restrictions on women

    US to pressure Taliban if they don’t remove restrictions on women

    The United States (US) has said that it will put pressure on Afghanistan’s Taliban government if the group does not reverse some of its recent restrictions on Afghan women, reports Reuters.

    US State Department spokesperson Ned Price reported saying on Monday: “We have addressed it directly with the Taliban. We have a number of tools that, if we feel these won’t be reversed, these won’t be undone, that we are prepared to move forward with.”

    Last week, the hardline group ordered women to cover themselves from head to toe in public, expanding a series of oppressive restrictions on women that dictate nearly every aspect of public life.

    Recently, the Taliban has reportedly stopped issuing driving licenses to women. However, there has been no official confirmation. Local media reports, cited by news agencies, said verbal orders have been issued to stop giving driving licenses to women, according to the Independent UK.

    Despite the fact that the international community, has on multiple occasions, made the education of girls a key demand for any future recognition of the Taliban administration, the group has barred Afghan girls from going to school beyond the seventh grade. Moreover, they have restricted women and girls from working and have limited their travel unless accompanied by a close male relative.