Foreign media including The Times reported on the 26th (local time) that the Taliban government in Afghanistan is divided over whether or not women should be educated.
According to foreign media, some Afghan ministers are in conflict with Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akundzada, arguing that girls’ education is necessary. After recapturing Kabul in 2021, the Taliban completely banned Afghan girls from middle school and college education. Then, some ministers are said to protest by sending their daughters to neighboring Muslim countries like Pakistan to study.
Unlike the 1st Taliban period (1996-2001), the 2nd Taliban government had a large number of pragmatists with foreign experience, and opposition grew to the closure policy of Akundzada, the supreme leader. Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani said at a graduation ceremony at the seminary on the 12th, “It is not in our interest to monopolize power and damage the reputation of the system.” Defense Minister Mullah Yacoub, son of Taliban founder Mullah Omar, also said on the 16th, “(the government) must listen to the legitimate demands of the people.” Moulbi Abdul Hamid, an Islamic leader, also raised his voice at a recent worship service, saying, “Hindering women’s right to education is the same as forbidding them to pray.” In some parts of Afghanistan, officials are said to have turned a blind eye to secret schools for girls.
However, Akundjada still insists on closed policies such as banning women’s education. Since taking office again, he has not appeared in public and has been sticking to a stubborn policy of not meeting ministers. Akundjada has been called “the most regressive head of state in the world.” Arshad Yusufzai, a Pakistani journalist, criticized Akundjada, saying that he “still lives in the world of 1400 years ago.” Although the international community has cut off aid for reasons such as the persecution of women, they say, “Allah (the only god in Islam) will help,” and has no sense of politics. The Times said, “There is hardly it is expected that a split (of the Taliban) will lead to real change (such as allowing women to be educated),” but “a ray of hope that comes from ‘quiet resistance’ is sensed.”
