Taliban’s True Colours

Afghan govt’s has announced a ban on women universities and stopped all females from attending classes

Peshawar: Extremely disturbing news emerged from the already isolated Afghanistan during the last week as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) government’s Ministry for Higher Education announced a ban on women universities and immediately stopped all females from attending their classes and even appearing in their ongoing examinations.

A letter signed by the Taliban Minister for Higher Education, Sheikh Molavi Nida Muhammad Nadeem instructed all government and private universities to positively reply to the ministry regarding the suspension of girls’ education till further notice.

Soon after the implementation of the ban, emotional scenes of weeping students made rounds of social media as the female university students were turned back from the examination halls on Wednesday. The issue was further highlighted as in some places, male students walked out of their exams in support of their female co-students.

The ripples of this shocking decision by the Taliban has not remained limited to the boundaries of Afghanistan, its shock waves have been felt across the world as politicians, journalists, women and human rights activists all have taken to social media platforms to protest and condemn the Taliban’s treatment of women.

Sharing his depreciation over the decision, former United States special envoy to AF-Pak Zalmay Khalilzad in a tweet said that “women banishment from higher education by a faction within the Taliban is shocking and incomprehensible.”

Talking to the media, Khalilzad said that nothing in Islam and Afghan history justified the decision of banning women from education. “Distinguished Islamic scholars in Afghanistan and around the world remind us that education for women as well as for men is a basic Islamic principle,” he was quoted by media.

Although rumours about a possible decision of banning women from going to universities started appearing as early as in the last week of October. However, during meetings with various Taliban leaders in Kabul, this scribe found out that most Taliban were not expecting any decision as they felt the IEA had learnt an unwanted lesson after the closure of girls’ schools.

“Yes, there are talks about such plans but I can say with most certainty that such an illogical decision will not be taken. We can’t afford to shoot ourselves in the leg. I feel that the continued ban on girls’ education has already hurt our country more than we could have imagined,” a high-placed official in the higher education ministry opined on condition of anonymity.

Defending the ban on women from universities, the Minister for Higher Education has actively taken to the social media platform Twitter with justifications from the Hadith (sayings of the holy prophet), and also by clarifying that the decision was not his to make but it was the Amir ul Momineen, Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada who gave the final order.

“People are expressing their anger against the IEA elders and in particular myself regarding the ban on women’s education. They need to know that this the Holy Prophet commanded that Islam does not give permission to women to get involved in vulgarity in the name of education. Women are ploughing fields for the men and instead of education, they are bound to care for the needs of men,” Molavi Nida Muhammad Nadeem said in a tweet.

Similarly, in a series of tweets, the minister continued defending his stance by reiterating that they would not allow male-female relations without wedlock, stealing, same-sex relations, indecent outfits, drinking alcohol, and vulgarity of women in the name of education,” while in another series of tweets he claimed that “no one can prove that the holy Quran or the sayings of the prophet have made contemporary education compulsory for women. I challenge all so-called religious leaders who are against the decision of Amir al Momineen to come forward and prove their claim. We want pure Islam and not the ones practised by Turkey, Saudi Arabia or others,” the Twitter handle of Molavi Nida Muhammad said.

However, not many in the Taliban setup are happy with the decision of banning girls’ education. Gutted by the recent ban, some Taliban in informal discussions are terming their government’s decision as a ‘suicidal act’ and “another Osama bin Laden” like situation, that had cost them their previous rule in the country.

“Many people in Kandahar would be celebrating this decision as it proves their strength and satisfies the ego of some so-called elders. However, this is not in accordance with the teachings of Islam. Hardly a few in our movement would approve of this decision as we don’t want to see our women deprived of education. They have the right to schools, colleges and universities,” a Taliban source in Kabul expressed.

Despite the fact that international pressure remained constant regarding the ban on girls’ education that came into place on 23 March 2022, the Taliban instead of solving the issues in a manner acceptable to everyone; have taken yet another step that further dents the trust of friends and foes alike.

With the new ban on women’s education, the Taliban have literally pushed the ‘self-destruct’ button that could only be undone if the Taliban realize their mistake and listen to their conscious and their well-wishers, and overturn their decision.