Pakistan foreign minister calls on Taliban to lift bans on Afghan women, girls

Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, urged Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA)to lift its restrictions on women and girls in the nation. Bhutto Zardari said that the IEA's treatment of women and girls is not typical in the Muslim world.

Taliban banned women, including students and female professors, from colleges. This came over a year after the Taliban forbade girls from attending secondary schools.

Bhutto Zardari wasspeaking at aconference on the outcome of the Women in Islam Conference this week in New York.

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“There is no other country on the planet, Muslim or otherwise, that condones depriving women and girls from the right to education,” he said, adding “There is no space for groups such as those in Afghanistan or anywhere else to claim that Islam justifies their actions."

Bhutto Zardari also said that the IEA was not living up to its commitment, which makes it tough for Pakistan to advocate for Afghanistan.

“It puts us in a very difficult situation to advocate for some of the things that the people of Afghanistan need in the form of humanitarian aid, the unfreezing of their funds, the functioning of their economy, etc.” he said.

In addition, Bhutto Zardari said that the IEA was not upholding its obligations, which made it difficult for Pakistan to support Kabul. The conferenceat the UN was presided over by Zardari, who earlier in the week told delegates that he disagrees with the widespread belief that Islam oppresses women.

“Islam was the first religion to give rights to women,” he declared adding that “Islam forbids injustice against women.”

There are other underlying difficulties between the two nations that are still challenging to settle. Clashes between their security forces have been brought on by Kabul's persistent unwillingness to recognise the Durand Line as the international boundary between Pakistan and Afghanistan. This has continued to be a major source of tension that undermine trust and fosters animosity.

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Even as Bilawal calls out the Taliban to address the women'srights issues in Afghanistan, the condition of women in Pakistan is not to be overlooked.

Pakistan's Islamabad Police on Wednesday allegedly baton-charged participants in the Aurat March. On Wednesdayfootage showing the Islamabad police impeding the Aurat March went viral. The police deployed water cannons on women as the world observed the special day to show solidarity in their battle for their rights.

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