AP

Afghan Taliban deputy calls for reopening schools for girls

Sep 26, 2022, 4:27 PM | Updated: Sep 27, 2022, 4:28 am

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A senior member of the Taliban-run government in Afghanistan on Tuesday called on Afghanistan’s new rulers to reopen schools for girls beyond the sixth grade, saying there is no valid reason in Islam for the ban.

The appeal from Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban deputy foreign minister, came during a top Taliban gathering in Kabul. It was a rare moderate voice amid the harsh measures imposed by the Taliban since they overran the country and seized power in August 2021.

The measures include banning girls from middle school and high school despite initial promises to the contrary. Women are required to cover themselves from head to toe in public, with only their eyes showing.

The Taliban have said they are working on a plan to open secondary schools for girls but have not given a timeframe.

The United Nations has called the ban “shameful” and the international community has been wary of officially recognizing the Taliban, fearing a return to the same harsh rule the Taliban imposed when they were last in power in the late 1990s.

“It is very important that education must be provided to all, without any discrimination,” Stanikzai said. “Women must get education, there is no Islamic prohibition for girls’ education.”

“Let’s not provide opportunities for others to create a gap between the government and people,” he added. “If there are technical issues, that needs to be resolved, and schools for girls must be opened.”

Still, it was unclear if and how much Stanikzai could sway hard-liners, who appear to hold the reins in the Taliban administration.

Stanikzai was once head of the Taliban team in talks that led to the 2020 agreement in Qatar between the Taliban and the United States that included the complete withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.

His remarks follow the Taliban appointment of a new education minister, days after the U.N. called on them to reopen schools for girls. The U.N. estimates that more than 1 million girls have been barred from attending most of middle school and high school over the past year.

A year after the Taliban took over the country as the Western-backed government and military crumbled, the U.N. says it is increasingly concerned that restrictions on girls’ education, as well as other measures curtailing basic freedoms, would deepen Afghanistan’s economic crisis and lead to greater insecurity, poverty, and isolation.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Photo: Attendees look on during the Presentation of the Colors at the National Veterans Day Observa...

Russ Bynum, The Associated Press

Why the US celebrates Veterans Day and how the holiday has changed over time

The Veterans Day holiday began more than a century ago, albeit under a different name, as a celebration of the end of World War I. Over time its name and purpose evolved into a day of recognition for U.S. veterans of all wars as well as those currently serving in uniform.

4 hours ago

Photo: Beyonce appears at a campaign event for Kamala Harris in Houston, on Oct. 25, 2024. She is a...

Maria Sherman, AP Music Writer

Beyoncé leads the 2025 Grammy noms, becoming the most nominated artist in the show’s history

Welcome to Beyoncé country. When it comes to the 2025 Grammy Award nominations, “Cowboy Carter” rules the nation.

3 days ago

California wilfires...

Associated Press

Winds fuel Southern California wildfires that has forced thousands to evacuate

A fast-moving wildfire fueled by heavy winds was tearing through a community northwest of Los Angeles for a second day.

4 days ago

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee V...

Associated Press

The campaign for president enters its final push on the eve of Election Day

The presidential campaign comes down to a final push across a handful of states on the eve of Election Day.

7 days ago

Steve Bannon appears in court in New York, Jan. 12, 2023. (Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP)...

Dave Collins, The Associated Press

Trump ally Steve Bannon is released after serving 4 months in prison

Longtime Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon was released from prison early Tuesday, after serving a four-month sentence.

13 days ago

Photo: The Boeing logo is displayed in El Segundo, Calif., on Jan. 25, 2011....

KIRO Newsradio Staff with Wire Reports

Boeing, in need of cash, looking to raise up to approximately $19B in offering

Boeing is looking to raise up to approximately $19 billion in a stock offering as the aerospace giant faces liquidity issues and tries to raise cash.

14 days ago

Afghan Taliban deputy calls for reopening schools for girls