Taliban say no plan to lift ban on female education

KANDAHAR: Marking the second anniversary of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, their chief spokesman said the ban on female education will remain in place.

In an interview with a US news agency, Zabihullah Mujahid brushed aside any questions about restrictions on girls and women, saying the status quo will remain.

The Taliban banned girls from attending school beyond sixth grade. It was the first among restrictions that now keep Afghan women from classrooms, jobs and much of public life.

The Taliban seized power on August 15, 2021, as US and NATO forces withdrew from the country after two decades of war. Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is seen as the leading force behind the classroom ban issued unexpectedly in March 2022.

No threat to rule

Mujahid said the Taliban view their rule of Afghanistan as open-ended, drawing legitimacy from Islamic law and facing no significant threat,

“There is no fixed term for the Islamic government,” he said of Taliban rule, which he claimed draws legitimacy from Sharia. “It will serve for as long as it can and as long as the emir (supreme leader) isn’t removed for doing something that goes against Sharia.”

Mujahid said Taliban rule faces no threats from inside or outside the country. He claimed the current government is acting responsibly, and that Afghans deserve unity. 

Mujahid did not discuss the restrictions on girls and women, brushing aside questions about the issue and saying there was no point talking unless there were updates but indicated the change was unlikely. 

Mujahid noted that “everything will be under the influence of Sharia.” Asked why the Taliban aren’t seeking assistance from Muslim-majority countries to restart female education, he said the Taliban doesn’t need help of others.

Mujahid said there was disagreement among religious scholars on female education, and suggested that maintaining harmony among them was more important than getting girls and women back into classrooms.

He said the prospect of international isolation and the lack of recognition as Afghanistan’s legitimate government due to restrictions on women and girls isn’t a pressing concern for the Taliban leadership.

“Our interaction with China, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Pakistan and other countries in the region is official,” he said.

“We have embassies, travel, consulates. We have businesses. Traders come and go and transfer goods. These are all the things that mean the recognition of officialdom.”