Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/taliban-tried-employing-afghan-women/d/135873

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The Taliban Tried To Stop Lida Mangal From Employing Afghan Women

By Isabella Ross

15-06-2025

Lida Mangal says her Afghan garment business in Western Sydney is a form of “resistance and representation”. (ABC News: Jack Ailwood)

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LidaMangal vividly remembers the “golden years” of her childhood in Afghanistan.

Decades on, Ms Mangal has found freedom in Australia — though her country of origin and the “very strong” women who remain there never leave her thoughts.

“I thought how could I provide a means of income to these women? They had experience in tailoring and textiles. Some were widowed or without a male companion … Afghan women deserve freedom.”

Photo shows A woman wearing a blue burqa covering shields her eyes from the sun and camera while she walks in the streetA woman wearing a blue burqa covering shields her eyes from the sun and camera while she walks in the street

Virtue laws introduced by the Taliban ban women from speaking or showing their faces in public as a senior UN official called it an extension of the “already intolerable restrictions” on Afghan women.

That same year, Ms Mangal founded her business, Ghan Fashion, where she brings traditionally designed dresses from Afghanistan to Australia.

Initially, she was able to openly hire women who were still working in Afghan textile factories, but in recent years, the “barbaric regime’s agenda” has made that effort extra difficult.

“I’ve got 20 women who are working now from home, because of the restrictions of the current regime. They have their own materials and equipment they use. I explain my designs … and they prepare and make it,” she said.

A former refugee and now Australian citizen, Ms Mangal works full-time in a separate occupation, as well as running her fashion business from her Western Sydney home.

The garment transportation process is a challenge — the Taliban use sharp tools to check packages for anything being smuggled out of Afghanistan, meaning some of Ms Mangal’s dresses arrive ripped and damaged.

“This new chapter has allowed me to reclaim my voice and write a story that I choose — one filled with hope, ambition and determination.”

Kabul Social is run predominantly by female refugees from Afghanistan, notes Shaun David-Christie (far right). (Supplied: Kabul Social/Kitti Gould)

Kabul Social, founded by Plate It Forward director Shaun Christie-David, is run by a team of predominantly female refugees from Afghanistan, bringing their country’s flavours to Sydney’s CBD.

It was predated by Colombo Social, which has the same intention of celebrating culture and cuisine while employing migrants and refugees.

“What truly humbles me is seeing our refugee workforce and their families thrive, building a legacy of generational change,”  Mr Christie-David said.

Mr Christie-David said his aim was to “give people a chance that wouldn’t get one otherwise”, given the challenges of having international qualifications recognised in Australia.

Marjorie Tenchavez is the founder and director of Welcome Merchant, a social enterprise that elevates refugee and people seeking asylum entrepreneurs.

“Often they [refugees] have family members relying on them in their home countries as well. Refugee merchants also don’t have mainstream access to much support, such as borrowing from the banks, given many are on bridging visas.”

“It’s now more important than ever to give them a platform because there has definitely been a waning interest in the refugee space.”

Adama Kamara, deputy chief executive officer of Refugee Council of Australia, said the event was a way to champion the resilient nature of many refugees.

“Refugees are among Australia’s most entrepreneurial newcomers … this incredible drive, often born out of necessity and a desire to contribute, adds significant economic and social value,” she said.

Later this year, the 1 millionth permanent refugee visa will be issued since Australia’s post-war resettlement program began in 1947, according to the Refugee Council.

Source: www.abc.net.au

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-15/former-refugee-helps-women-in-afghanistan-via-sydney-business/105365380

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‘I Wish I Weren’t A Girl’: 700,000 Women Struggle For Menstrual Hygiene In War-Torn Gaza

By Supratik Das

15 Jun 2025

Representational Image | Credit: Reuters

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At the centre of an relentless humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, an often overlooked crisis is unfolding with quiet urgency, that is women’s and girls’ menstrual well-being. During Israel’s months-long siege and heavy shelling, close to 700,000 menstruating women and girls are finding it difficult to cope with their periods with dignity and safety. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has cautioned that lack of access to essential hygiene products, clean water, and safe facilities has converted a normal biological process into a deep humanitarian and public health emergency.

According to UN global data, 1.8 billion people menstruate worldwide, but in conflict areas like Gaza, menstruation becomes far more than a monthly inconvenience, it becomes a human rights concern. In overcrowded displacement shelters and temporary tent camps, girls getting their first period are doing so in unimaginable conditions. They have no sanitary pads, no soap, and no private toilets. “I only had one pad, so I wrapped it in toilet paper to make it last. I couldn’t wash, and the pain was horrible. I sat in silence crying until the end of the day,” a displaced teenage girl told UNFPA. These stories are no longer isolated. Since March, the blockade of humanitarian relief has severely limited the introduction of hygiene material. While a partial suspension of the ban allowed for some relief, distribution of aid which is now organised by channels outside the UN system is still woefully insufficient. Current levels of delivery are far below the colossal demand, with only a small portion of more than 10 million sanitary pads needed monthly reaching Gaza’s displaced persons. “This crisis is not just about hygiene; it is about dignity, health, and the protection of basic human rights. “Food keeps us alive, but pads, soap, and privacy let us live with dignity,” a displaced woman from Khan Younis, said in a UNFPA statement.

With over 90 per cent of the region’s water and sanitation infrastructure destroyed and water pumping fuel out of reach, the hygiene crisis is assuming a deadly dimension. Women are resorting to makeshift substitutes such as worn-out clothing, used cloths, or sponges which are often unclean and unsuitable for prolonged use heightening the threat of urinary tract infections, reproductive disorders, and long-term health impairment. A father of four girl child from Jabalia recounted his sorrow, “I ripped my single shirt apart so my daughters could wear it as an alternative to pads,” he explained to UNFPA. Another girl admitted, “Every time my period comes, I wish I weren’t a girl,” she said to the UN agency. A local physician recounted how normal phenomena like menstruation, pregnancy, and giving birth are becoming traumatic because of the absence of essential materials. “These should be routine experiences. But now, I witness pain, humiliation, and desperation in women’s eyes on a daily basis,” she said to UNFP

While the health of menstruation has gone disastrous, the overall situation for women in Gaza is equally bleak. As per UNFPA, food insecurity is catastrophic, with one person out of every five starved. For approximately 55,000 pregnant women, every skipped meal increases the likelihood of miscarriage, stillbirth, and giving birth to underweight infants.

According to UN nearly 17,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are projected to require urgent treatment for acute malnutrition in the coming months. Gaza’s already fragile health infrastructure is on the brink of collapse after prolonged bombardment of hospitals and healthcare facilities. Healthcare workers do not have the medicines and equipment they need.

Source: www.Thedailyjagran.Com

https://www.thedailyjagran.com/world/i-wish-i-was-not-a-girl-women-struggle-for-menstrual-hygiene-in-war-torn-gaza-heres-what-report-says-10245149

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TikTok Murder Sends Chill Through Pakistani Influencers: ‘Every Woman Knows This Fear’

15 Jun 2025

Since seeing thousands of comments justifying the recent murder of a teenage TikTok star in Pakistan, Sunaina Bukhari is considering abandoning her 88,000 followers.

“In my family, it wasn’t an accepted profession at all, but I’d managed to convince them, and even ended up setting up my own business,” she said.

Then last week, Sana Yousaf was shot dead outside her house in the capital Islamabad by a man whose advances she had repeatedly rejected, police said.

News of the murder led to an outpouring of comments under her final post – her 17th birthday celebration where she blew out the candles on a cake.

In between condolence messages, some blamed her for her own death: “You reap what you sow” or “it’s deserved, she was tarnishing Islam”.

Yousaf had racked up more than a million followers on social media, where she shared her favourite cafes, skincare products and traditional shalwarkameez outfits.

Source: Www.Scmp.com

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3314505/tiktok-murder-sends-chill-through-pakistani-influencers-every-woman-knows-fear

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UN Human Rights Council to spotlight rights of Afghan women at 59th Session

by Milad Sayar

June 15, 2025

The United Nations Human Rights Council is set to open its 59th session on Monday, June 16, in Geneva, where delegates will consider an agenda that includes the worsening rights crisis in Afghanistan, particularly the treatment of women and girls under Taliban rule.

According to the Council’s official schedule, the session will run through July 9 and will feature reports and interactive dialogues addressing human rights violations in more than a dozen countries, including Sudan, Myanmar, Iran and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Among the most closely watched items will be a presentation by Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan.

Bennett’s report, titled “Access to Justice and Support for Women and Girls and the Impact of Multiple and Intersecting Forms of Discrimination,” concludes that the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women and girls amount to a system of gender apartheid. It calls on the international community to recognize such policies as crimes under international law.

“The Council must take urgent and decisive action,” said Sima Nouri, a human rights activist who is among those calling for an independent fact-finding mission. “We need a mechanism to document the full scope of Taliban abuses — from gender-based discrimination and ethnic killings to the violent suppression of peaceful protests. Afghanistan’s case should be referred to the International Criminal Court.”

Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban have barred most Afghan women and girls from work, education, and even freedom of movement without a male escort. MasoudaKohistani, another rights advocate, called the situation “a human rights emergency that demands global attention.”

Though Afghanistan will be discussed on the opening day, it is one part of a broader session that includes topics ranging from the human rights impacts of climate change to racial discrimination, digital rights, and the situations in Palestine, Venezuela and Belarus. No general debates are scheduled this session, but several high-level interactive dialogues will take place throughout the four weeks.

The Human Rights Council, which meets three times a year, is the UN’s primary intergovernmental body dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. Its 59th session will include reports from special rapporteurs, commissions of inquiry and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Rights advocates say they hope the international community will not lose focus on Afghanistan amid competing global crises. “This is a pivotal moment,” Nouri said. “The world must not abandon Afghan women.”

Source: amu.tv

https://amu.tv/180591/

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Pakistan names women’s squad for AFC qualifiers amid bid to elevate football’s profile

Arab News Pakistan

June 15, 2025

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Saturday unveiled its squad for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, as the country seeks to uplift its women’s football program and strengthen its profile in a sport where its men’s team has also struggled to gain traction.

Pakistan’s men’s national team, briefly competitive in regional tournaments in the decades following independence, has long languished near the bottom of Asian rankings amid administrative issues and lack of sustained investment.

In contrast, women’s football in Pakistan began to take shape in the early 2000s, with the formation of the country’s first women’s football clubs in 2002 and the launch of the National Women’s Football Championship in 2005.

“The Pakistan Football Federation has named a squad for the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, set to take place in Jakarta, Indonesia from June 29 to July 5,” said the PFF in a statement.

Placed in Group E, the team will open its campaign on June 29 against Chinese Taipei, confront host Indonesia on July 2 and conclude the group stage against Kyrgyzstan on July 5.

Athletes have recently expanded into Olympic swimming and achieved international success in javelin, demonstrating a broader ambition to elevate sports beyond one stronghold.

Pakistan will be seeking its first-ever Women’s Asian Cup appearance, while the men’s side continues to fight for relevance amid FIFA rankings that reached a historic low before recent suspensions were lifted.

Pakistan’s national women’s football team was officially formed in 2010 and has yet to qualify for a Women’s Asian Cup or World Cup, but played in multiple SAFF Championships and remained a bright spot in domestic football.

Source: Www.Arabnews.com

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2604523/pakistan

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‘Pakistan-born’ woman booked in UP’s Bareilly for procuring fake Aadhaar, ration card

by Manish Sahu

June 15, 2025

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday booked a 68-year-old woman of Pakistani origin in Bareilly for allegedly obtaining an Aadhaar card and ration card through fraudulent means. The woman has been residing in India for nearly six decades on a long-term visa.

The police said that during a campaign to spot Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals staying illegally in the district, they received a tip-off about a Pakistan-born woman allegedly availing of benefits of government schemes using forged documents.

The case has been filed against the woman, identified as Farhad Sultana, under relevant sections of the Citizenship Act and for cheating at the Baradari police station, said a police officer.

The police learned that Sultana, born in Karachi, arrived in India in 1965 at the age of eight with her mother and sister, on a long-term visa.

Source: Indianexpress.Com

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/pakistan-born-woman-booked-in-ups-bareilly-for-procuring-fake-aadhaar-ration-card-10067350/

Courtesy: New Age Islam

The post The Taliban Tried To Stop Lida Mangal From Employing Afghan Women appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Systematic Suppression of Women’s Rights

Under Taliban rule, women’s rights have been systematically suppressed, suffocating every aspect of their lives. The Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic law has led to the banning of women from attending schools, working in NGO offices, and participating in public office and the judiciary. The above-mentioned joint report states that “women and girls in Afghanistan are experiencing severe discrimination that may amount to gender persecution – a crime against humanity – and be characterised as gender apartheid, as the de facto authorities appear to be governing by systemic discrimination with the intention to subject women and girls to total domination”.  These restrictions not only curtail women’s personal freedoms but also hinder the progress of Afghan society as a whole. Education is a vital tool for empowerment and social advancement, and by denying women access to education, the Taliban is ensuring the perpetuation of gender inequality and limiting the country’s potential for development.

The Taliban’s oppressive policies also extend to the economic sphere, where women’s ability to work and contribute to their families’ livelihoods has been severely curtailed. By excluding women from the workforce, the Taliban is not only depriving them of financial independence but also undermining the overall economic growth and stability of Afghanistan. It is essential for the international community to recognize the significance of economic empowerment for women and advocate for inclusive economic policies that enable Afghan women to participate fully and contribute to the rebuilding of their nation.

Brutal Imposition of Punishments

The Taliban’s harsh interpretation of Islamic law has resulted in the brutal imposition of punishments on women. Stoning, lashing, and amputation have become tools of intimidation and control. These cruel practices not only cause physical harm but also instill fear among women, effectively silencing their voices and perpetuating a climate of oppression. The international community must condemn such barbaric acts and take decisive action to protect the fundamental rights and dignity of Afghan women.

The brutal punishments imposed by the Taliban serve as a chilling deterrent to women who dare to challenge the status quo. By subjecting women to such inhumane treatment, the Taliban aims to enforce conformity and maintain a patriarchal power structure. The international community must make it clear that such actions are unacceptable and stand in direct violation of universally recognized human rights principles. Sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and targeted assistance should be employed to hold the Taliban accountable for their egregious violations and work towards dismantling the culture of fear that prevails in Afghanistan.

Widespread Restrictions on Women’s Rights

The Taliban’s edicts have imposed widespread restrictions on the rights of women and girls, encompassing various aspects of their lives. From curbing their freedom of movement and dictating their attire and behaviour to limiting their access to education, healthcare, and justice, Afghan women find themselves trapped in a web of oppressive regulations. This should be recognised for what it is, a form of apartheid, gender-apartheid.

The freedom of movement is a basic human right that enables individuals to pursue education, employment, and opportunities for personal growth. By restricting women’s mobility, the Taliban effectively confines them to their homes, stripping them of agency and autonomy. This not only hampers their ability to access essential services but also perpetuates their reliance on male relatives, further exacerbating gender inequality.

The Taliban’s imposition of strict dress codes and behavioural expectations further reinforces the notion that women’s bodies and actions must be controlled. Such restrictions infringe upon women’s right to self-expression and individuality, reducing them to mere objects subjected to societal norms and expectations. The international community must advocate for the freedom of expression and choice, encouraging Afghan women to reclaim their identities and challenge the oppressive norms imposed upon them.

Access to education, healthcare, and justice is vital for the well-being and empowerment of women. The Taliban’s restrictions in these areas deny women their basic rights, leaving them vulnerable and marginalized. Education is not only a means to acquire knowledge but also a tool for empowerment and social change. By denying women access to education, the Taliban perpetuates a cycle of ignorance and dependence. Similarly, limited access to healthcare and justice denies women essential services and denies them recourse in cases of abuse or discrimination.

The Taliban’s treatment of women in Afghanistan is nothing short of a gender apartheid, as characterized by experts in the field. Afghan women, who were making significant strides towards empowerment and equality over the past two decades, now face an uncertain and perilous future. Their rights and freedoms have been erased, and their voices have been silenced by a regime that is inherently anti-women. According to the UN, around 80% of girls and young women of school age are not in education.  This systematic suppression of women’s rights, brutal imposition of punishments, and widespread restrictions on their freedoms demand urgent attention from the international community. Efforts must be made to protect their rights, provide aid and support, and hold the Taliban accountable for their actions. Only through collective action can we hope to restore justice, dignity, and equality for the women of Afghanistan and prevent a humanitarian crisis from further deepening. The time to act is now.

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A decades old patron of New Age Islam, Dr Adis Duderija is a Senior Lecturer in the Study of Islam and Society, School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science ; Senior Fellow Centre for Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue, Griffith University | Nathan | Queensland | Australia.

Courtesy: New Age Islam

The post Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan under the Taliban appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A young Afgani woman has tweeted:

SaraWahedi (@Sara Wahedi) Tweeted: Professor Ismail Mashal, who ripped up his diplomas on live TV in Afghanistan and went viral across the world, was arrested by the Taliban yesterday.

His defiantly stood against the Taliban’s ban on women’s education. Now, he’s been silenced. Demand his release.

#FreeMashal 

Professor Ismail Mashal, who ripped up his diplomas on live TV in Afghanistan and went viral across the world, was arrested by the Taliban yesterday.

His defiantly stood against the Taliban’s ban on women’s education. Now, he’s been silenced. Demand his release.#FreeMashal pic.twitter.com/UiZ6X3iZb5

— Sara Wahedi (@SaraWahedi) February 4, 2023

Related:

Kabul University Prof Protests Taliban ban on Women’s Education, Tears Up Diplomas on TV

IMSD condemns the Taliban’s shutting of university gates to Muslim women

Afghanistan a year after the Taliban occupation: An ongoing war on human rights

The post University professor, outspoken critic of the Taliban’s ban on education for women and girls arrested in Kabul: Afghanistan appeared first on SabrangIndia.

New Delhi: After being detained by police in Delhi for around seven hours on Thursday, October 6, around 100 members of central Afghanistan’s Hazara community who reportedly gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest the recent suicide bombing in the Afghan capital, Kabul, have been released. 

On the last day of September, September 30, a suicide attack at the Kaj Educational Institute in Daste Barchi, associated with the Hazara-dominated community in Kabul, had shocked the world. A number of students were present at the Institute to take an entrance exam that Friday. While initial reports had put the number killed at 19 and those injured at 27, subsequent reports by the BBC have put the death toll at a staggering 53.

On Thursday, October 6, around 100 Hazaras living in Delhi had resolved to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar to condemn the Kaj bombing as well as the targeting of the Shi’a majority Hazara community in Afghanistan. Initially the Delhi police reportedly granted permission for the gathering, this permission was allegedly revoked early Thursday morning.

As often, social media platforms told the story. A member of this protest gathering, scholar and activist Reza Ehsan, posted on Twitter claiming that after the crowd was told that the permission had been cancelled, and as the members made their way to their buses to leave, they were detained by the Delhi police without any explanation.

After cancellation people sent to their buses and wanted to leave Jantar Mantar, but police detained all, including women and children. They released women and children around 3:30 but the rest are still in detention. No lunch, not questions no nothing. Why they are in detention?

— Reza Ehsan (@REhsan2021) October 6, 2022

They had first detained around 300, have released women and children but others are still in detention.

They had detain around 300, have released women and children but others are still in detention.
We had police permission for gathering in Jantar Nantar, we didn’t start protest as we heard that police has cancelled. we were near to our buses, but police came and detained everyone

— Essa hazara (@Essahazara3) October 6, 2022

Ehsan questioned the police’s decision, asking why the decision to cancel the permission wasn’t shared earlier and why the demonstrators were not allowed even to eat lunch.

“While, millions are joining #StopHazaraGenocide around the world, why would Delhi police try to silence the voice of those who share sympathy and remember the victims of #Kaaj Kabul attack?” Ehsan tweeted.

Within an hour of Ehsan’s initial tweets, rights group Amnesty International posted a series of tweets in which it detailed that the Delhi police had, indeed, arrested the demonstrators for gathering despite the denial of permission, which was denied citing “security/law and order arrangements” according to the rights group.

Right to protest is a human right and not a privilege. Any restriction to this must be guided by reasonable concerns about the place, time and manner of the protest, and must meet the requirements of necessity and proportionality.
4/4

— Amnesty India (@AIIndia) October 6, 2022

Amnesty International stated that the “failure to meet administrative requirements should not render an assembly unlawful” and held that it cannot be a basis to arrest people. Noting that the right to protest is a right and not a privilege, the rights group said that any restriction to this right should be necessary and proportionate.

Ehsan, who wrote on Twitter that he was posting from “Madanmarg” police station, ostensibly referring to the Mandir Marg station in the area, noted that while women and children were allowed to leave at around 3:30 pm, 45 others remained in custody until evening.

Then, in the evening, at 7:01 pm, Ehsan tweeted that he and the 45 other detainees were released from custody. He also stated that the demonstrators were allowed to continue their protests and chant slogans against the killing of Hazaras from within the station.

Dear all,
Thanks for your support, concerns and follow ups. Finally, After 8 hours of detention, @DelhiPolice released us and shared that they stopped the gathering due to security concerns.
We, organised our gathering inside the Detention centre and shouted#StopHazaraGenocide https://t.co/e0PBRP0ld5

— Reza Ehsan (@REhsan2021) October 6, 2022

Finally, after 7 hours of detention, Delhi police released all th remaining protesters who were in detention.
Police said that they were trying stop gathering because of security concerns.@Essahazara3 @official_sirat @FawadAman2 @REhsan2021 @Etilaatroz @HashteSubhDaily pic.twitter.com/C8iQad9f0W

— Mahdi Rahimi (@MahdiRahimi123) October 6, 2022

Thereafter, the Association for Hazara Voice for Justice (AHVJ) published a statement on Twitter describing the detention as a “small halt” but lauding the support and media coverage the demonstration received.

“We shared our message loudly and clearly with the Indian audience and the world about the ‘genocide of Hazaras’ in Afghanistan. Today(‘s) gathering and protest was up to satisfaction,” the AHVJ statement read.

بیانیه ستاد برگزاری گردهمایی در دهلی نو، هند.
Statement of the headquarters holding a gathering in New Delhi, India.@MahdiRahimi123 @Essahazara3 @REhsan2021 #StopHazaraGenocide pic.twitter.com/prDb9BxWef

— Zaman Sirat (@official_sirat) October 6, 2022

The statement also proceeded to thank not just the Indian media but also the government and the Delhi police for allowing the programme to continue from within the police station.

Related

Afghanistan: Bomb attack kills at least 100 at Shia mosque in Kunduz

Will Taliban takeover of Afghanistan be used to attack Indian Muslims?

The post Over 100 Hazaras protesting Kabul suicide bombing detained by Delhi Police for 7 Hours appeared first on SabrangIndia.

After the former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on August 15, 2021, the Taliban, allegedly with the direct support of the army of Pakistan, captured Kabul, the Afghanistan capital. The resistance continued for a short time in Panjshir province leaded by Ahmad Massoud, but the resistance was defeated by the alleged intervention of the army of Pakistan.

The people of Afghanistan have been living amidst abysmal conditions since the Taliban came to power. Nearly one million employees of the previous government lost their jobs. The economic system is falling apart and poverty is rampant. 

Foreign aid is distributed only to those who support the Taliban, and poorest people are deprived of such aid. The humanitarian aid which provided by India to the people of Afghanistan, unfortunately, the aid is only distributed to relatives of Taliban members and it is not distributed to the country’s poor peoples.

The education system is broken and schools and universities are closed. Women have been denied the right to study and work, and girls have been barred from going out of their homes. My mother was a teacher and my sisters were school students, my mother lost her job and my sister can’t go to school, they are staying at home like prisoners.

The scientists and other people working in the field have left the country and thousands of citizens are leaving the country every day due to poverty and unemployment. Most of the soldiers of the previous government have left Afghanistan. Some of them remain in the country, they are arrested and tortured by the Taliban. Professional people are fired from government offices and replaced by people who have any relationship with the Pakistan government.

Afghanistan is made up of different ethnic groups such as the Hazara, Tajik, Uzbek and Pashtun. But in the Taliban government, only the Pashtun ethnic group is present and other ethnic groups play no role. Due to the absence of other ethnic groups in the Taliban cabinet, this group has not yet been recognized by other countries. Taliban are not acceptable to any people of Afghanistan. Most Afghans, especially women, oppose Taliban rule. Every day uprisings against the group are taking place across Afghanistan. But due to lack of foreign support, the uprisings are being suppressed by the Taliban.

Nowadays Afghan people are in a tough situation. As an Afghan student, I request international powers and our friendly countries to help my country. There will be a humanitarian catastrophe if foreign aid does not arrive in this country. Foreign aid should not be given to the Taliban and should be distributed directly to the people of Afghanistan. I also believe that the Taliban is a huge threat to the security of our neighbours and the countries of the world. Taliban doesn’t believe in human rights and, especially, women’s rights.

As an Afghan citizen who is aware of the tyranny and crimes of the Taliban, I urge India and the rest of the world not to recognize the Taliban in any way. It is not just my voice and request, it is the request of millions men and women of Afghanistan.

* The writer is an MBA student from Afghanistan.

Related:

Afghanistan: Women, Economy and Taliban

Afghanistan: Bullet riddled bodies of women activists found in Mazar-e-Sharif

EXCLUSIVE: Craig Whitlock exposes the Secret History of the War in Afghanistan

‘Taliban Are Unlikely To Reform’

The post Afghan citizens under the Taliban rule: Frustration, poverty, and displacement appeared first on SabrangIndia.

An explosion took place in a mosque located in the Spinghar area of Nangarhar in eastern Afghanistan during Friday prayers on November 12. Three people were reported to have been killed in the incident, while at least 15 were reported injured.

Reuters reported that the explosion occurred near the pulpit of the mosque’s prayer leader just as he rose to deliver his sermon around 1:30 P.M local time. The mosque’s Imam was reportedly killed in the blast. However, unlike the two previous blasts in Kunduz and Kandahar where the worshipers were Shia, this time the blast took place in a Sunni mosque.

While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, Taliban spokesperson, Zahibullah Mujahid tweeted, “Three perpetrators of an explosion in a mosque in the Trail area of Spin Ghar district of Nangarhar province were arrested by the security forces today. Those criminals will be dealt with according to Islamic law and will be punished for their evil deeds.”

The blast in the Nangarhar mosque is the third such incident. SabrangIndia had previously reported on two other instances where blasts took place during Friday prayers in October this year. 

On October 8, at least 100 people were killed when a bomb went off in a mosque in Kunduz. Worshippers here hailed from the persecuted Hazara community and belonged to the Shia sect. 

Then on October 15, another bomb blast ripped through a mosque in Kandahar, killing 32 and injuring 53 people. Here too, worshippers belonged to the Shia community. 

Also, in early November, 19 people were reported killed and 50 injured in an attack on a military hospital in Kabul.

Related:

Afghanistan: 32 killed, 53 injured in bomb blast at Shiite mosque in Kandahar
Afghanistan: Bomb attack kills at least 100 at Shia mosque in Kunduz

The post Three killed, 15 injured in explosion at a mosque in Afghanistan appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In what can be seen as a chilling message to women of Afghanistan, especially those who are activists, four of those who had reportedly taken part in public demonstrations against Taliban repression were killed in cold blood. According to international news media, the bullet-ridden bodies of four Afghan women activists were found dumped in a pit near Mazar-e-Sharif.

Since the Taliban took over, women activists have been one of the easier targets, many have still bravely stayed back, often gone underground to help their fellow citizens survive the regime. According to news reports one of the victims was identified as Frozan Safi. Journalist Zahra Rahimi shared a photo of Safi adding she was among the four who had “been disappeared days before.”

Terrible news from Mazar-e-Sharif: dead bodies of four women’s rights activists were found in the city.

Frozan Safi (in the picture) is one of them. Frozan’s relatives say she along with three others have been disappeared days before. pic.twitter.com/25knYghuNw

— Zahra Rahimi (@ZahraSRahimi) November 5, 2021

Frozan Safi, just 30-years-old, taught at a private university in Balkh, the northern Afghan province. After the bodies were found dumped in a pit, and she was identified, her father Abdul Rahman Safi told the local media she had “left her home 10 days ago with travel documents after ­receiving a phone call.” He reportedly said, “She was going abroad with the help of a human rights organisation.” However, her father added, “Two hours after Frozan left the house, her connection with us was cut off. We went to the city’s central hospital and found her dead body, which showed signs of multiple bullets on her body, in the hospital morgue.” No one has claimed responsibility for the murders, so far. However the message is loud and clear for the women: stay home and stay quiet.

The Weekend Australian quoted Human Rights Watch associate women’s rights director Heather Barr, saying it was just a matter of time before women activists were killed in targeted assassinations under the Taliban. “We knew they had been tracking women down after protests to ­intimidate them. This is a scary new development,” she said.

Since they took over the nation in August, the Taliban have moved swiftly and deprived the nation’s women of all the basic rights and freedoms they had earned in the past 20 years. They have in the past few months, not been allowed to go out to work, leave home without a male chaperone, shop, run business, and have been forced to dress according to the Taliban’s own interpretation of the Sharia law. Women bravely still led and took part in public demonstrations but were later whipped and beaten, stated news reports, foring many to go into hiding.

Acc to BBC Persian reports from Balkh province indicate the bodies of 4 civil society women who were abducted a week ago near Mazar-e-Sharif airport were found in a pit four days later. Amena Haghparast, a civil society activist in Mazar-e-Sharif who now lives in Germany told BBC

— Lara Logan (@laralogan) November 5, 2021

According to news reports, locals also told the BBC that two nights ago, the Taliban entered the house of a former female soldier. They killed her along with another woman and two members of the family.

Afghan women’s greatest fears come true under Taliban 2.0

The Taliban had “promised” that the rights of women would be protected under the framework of “Sharia”.But as has now been exposed, Taliban 2.0 are unlikely to reform.   Many brave women protesters took to the streets, just hours after the gunmen of the Taliban took over the country. Crystal Bayat who was one of them had then said that as an Afghan woman, she knew that the Taliban’s rule included a literal caging up of all women, even though they may claim otherwise. Bayat was among the seven women who led a protest she helped organise on Afghanistan’s Independence Day, marching on bravely with a group of over 200 protesters, even as the Taliban’s gunmen were all over the streets. Days after the Taliban took over, raising the Afghan flag became an act of resistance too. Women who dared to raise their voices are vulnerable. In Afghanistan now, there is a real possibility that a bullet is marked for every woman who has dared to raise her voice against the Taliban regime, or just demanded that the human rights earned in the last two decades be maintained for women, and men.

According to news reports, on Friday, a Human Rights Watch report had warned that the Taliban’s “restrictions on women aid workers was worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis by preventing lifesaving aid from reaching Afghan women, girls and women-headed households.” Only in three of the 34 provinces have the authorities given written permission for women aid workers to unconditionally do their jobs while in 16 they have been banned from leaving the office without a male chaperone, stated the report according to international medis it cited documents from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, reported The Australian.

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The post Afghanistan: Bullet riddled bodies of women activists found in Mazar-e-Sharif appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A massive bomb blast ripped through a Shiite mosque in Kandahar, a city in the southern part of Afghanistan. The targeted blast took place during Friday prayers, and has so far killed around 32 people and injured 53 others.

According to a report carried by NDTV, a doctor at the city’s central Mirwais hospital said, “Thirty-two bodies and 53 wounded people have been brought to our hospital so far.” While the cause of the explosions was not immediately clear, there seems to be a pattern of targeting the Shiite community with such attacks. 

Last Friday at least a 100 people were killed in a bomb attack on a Shia mosque in Kunduz city of Afghanistan. That attack on the community was called the “bloodiest assault since US forces left the country.” The Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had then said an unknown number of people had been killed and injured when “an explosion took place in a mosque of our Shiite compatriots” in Kunduz. 

This Friday, the community has been targeted again, and various news reports are hinting at a high death toll, adding that the ambulances were rushing to and from the scene and that “the mosque’s Facebook account made an appeal for blood donations.” 

According to Afghanistan’s Tolo News, “Three back-to-back explosions hit the mosque, one of the biggest in Kandahar city.” Friday is a day of the busiest congregational prayers. Though no group has reportedly claimed responsibility yet, last week ISIS-K (Khorasan faction) claimed responsibility for the Kunduz mosque attack.

Local officials told TOLOnews that 16 people were killed and nearly 40 others were injured in today’s bombing attack on the Kandahar mosque.#TOLOnews pic.twitter.com/s5slQpGxMJ

— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) October 15, 2021

According to AFP, an eyewitness said he heard “three explosions, one at the main door of the mosque, another at a southern area, and a third where worshippers wash before their prayers.” A Twitter handle reportedly belonging to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan’s interior ministry spokesman Qari Sayed Khosti stated, “We are saddened to learn that an explosion took place in a mosque of the Shiite Brotherhood in the first district of Kandahar city in which a number of our compatriots were martyred and wounded. Special forces of the Islamic Emirate have arrived in the area to determine the nature of the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

په خواشینی سره مو خبر ترلاسه کړ چې د کندهار ښار په اوله حوزه کې د اهل تشیع وروڼو په یوه مسجد کې چاودنه شوې چې زموږ یو شمیر هيوادوال پکې شهیدان او ټپیان شوي.
د اسلامي امارت ځانګړي ځواکونه سيمې ته رسيدلي ترڅو د پيښې نوعیت معلوم کړي او مجرمين د قانون منګولو ته وسپارل شي. pic.twitter.com/46gwjwg9PI

— Qari sayed khosti f/ قاري سعید خوستی م (@qari_sayed) October 15, 2021

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The post Afghanistan: 32 killed, 53 injured in bomb blast at Shiite mosque in Kandahar appeared first on SabrangIndia.

At least a 100 people were killed in a bomb attack on a Shia mosque in Kunduz city of Afghanistan on Friday. This attack on worshipers is being called the “bloodiest assault since US forces left the country.” According to news reports, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had earlier said an unknown number of people had been killed and injured when “an explosion took place in a mosque of our Shiite compatriots” in Kunduz.

A bomb attack at an Afghanistan mosque killed at least 100 people during Friday prayers, says the UN. There were no immediate claims of responsibility.

The Kunduz attack targeted a mosque used by the Shia community, most of whom belong to the persecuted ethnic Hazara people. pic.twitter.com/TS031MDOkc

— AJ+ (@ajplus) October 8, 2021

According to a report in Reuters, a suicide bomber attacked a mosque in Afghanistan’s northeastern Kunduz province on Friday. This, stated the report is the “third attack this week on a religious institution”, adding that Islamic State had claimed responsibility for the attack. Social media images have shown disturbing sights of dead bodies and debris inside the minority Shi’ite Muslim community’s mosque. News reports have highlighted that “Shiite Muslims have suffered some of Afghanistan’s most violent assaults, with rallies bombed, hospitals targeted and commuters ambushed” and the community is around 20% of the Afghan population. Many of them are Hazara, an ethnic group that has been heavily persecuted in Afghanistan for decades. 

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), had in a 2019 report, detailed how Hazaras of Afghanistan have suffered even before the Taliban took over. “Almost all suicide and orchestrated attacks along with various target killing, beheading and kidnapping have been proclaimed by the Taliban and Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-PK)” stated the report that may be read here.

India’s Army Chief Gen MM Naravane says “Afghan-origin foreign terrorists” may attempt to “infiltrate”

India’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen MM Naravane has said that it is possible that “Afghan-origin foreign terrorists” may attempt to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir once the situation stabilises in Afghanistan. However, Gen Naravane added that the Indian armed forces are “prepared to deal with any eventuality” as they have “strong mechanisms to check infiltration and terrorist activities”. The COAS was responding to questions at the India Today conclave. 

When asked if there was any connection between the recent killings of civilians in Kashmir and the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan, Gen Naravane said, “Definitely, there has been a spurt in activities (in Jammu and Kashmir) but whether they can be directly linked to what is happening in or happened in Afghanistan, we really cannot say,” adding, “But what we can say and learn from the past is that when the previous Taliban regime was in power, that time definitely we had foreign terrorists of Afghan origin in Jammu and Kashmir. So there are reasons to believe that the same thing might happen once again that once the situation in Afghanistan stabilises, then we could see an inflow of these fighters from Afghanistan to Jammu and Kashmir.” 

The General’s words gain importance as news reports have regularly flagged security concerns after the Taliban took over power in Afghanistan.

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The post Afghanistan: Bomb attack kills at least 100 at Shia mosque in Kunduz appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI) has reached out to women journalists in Afghanistan in solidarity. The NWMI has explored ways to support the beleaguered colleagues trying to survive and tell their stories against immense odds there. The interactions have revealed that one of the most urgent needs, as expected, is money. 

The NWMI stated that the rapid Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in early August, and its potential adverse impact on hard-won freedoms, particularly for women’s rights, freedom of speech and press freedom, has now become alarmingly clear. 

Now, under the banner “Journalists for Afghanistan”, the NWMI has launched a fundraiser from sales of stunning photographs taken by well known photojournalists. According to the NWMI, the Associated Press has “generously allowed the use of images from its Afghanistan coverage”. The collection includes photographs by some of AP’s bravest and most talented visual journalists and allows rare glimpses into the daily life in Afghanistan documented over the past two decades. “At a time of unimaginable societal and political upheaval in Afghanistan, and even as its people face an uncertain and frightening future, these images challenge us to reflect on the power of resilience and courage in tumultuous times,” stated the NWMI, adding that “all proceeds of the fundraiser will go towards supporting Afghan women journalists.”

For more details and to buy prints visit: https://journalistsforafgh.wixsite.com/for-afg.  The images can also be viewed on Instagram. 

Journalists continue to be targeted, and beaten up when they venture out to report. Images such as those of reporters Nemat Naqdi and Taqi Daryabi showing bruises as a result of lashings by Taliban have been flooding the social media. The two Afghan journalists, were reporting on the somen-led Kabul protests, when they were thrashed by the Taliban. The photos were shared by American journalist Marcus Yam. Several Afghan journalists covering the Kabul protests have also been arrested, stated news reports.

Painful. Afghan journalists from @Etilaatroz, Nemat Naqdi & Taqi Daryabi, display wounds sustained from Taliban torture & beating while in custody after they were arrested for reporting on a women’s rally in #Kabul, #Afghanistan.#JournalismIsNotACrime https://t.co/jt631nRB69 pic.twitter.com/CcIuCy6GVw

— Marcus Yam 文火 (@yamphoto) September 8, 2021

اطلاعات روز: تقی دریابی و نعمت‌الله نقدی، دو گزارشگر روزنامه اطلاعات روز پس از بازداشت توسط طالبان، به شدت مورد لت‌وکوب قرار گرفته‌اند.
آثاری از شلاق و کیبل‌ بر سر، صورت و بدن این دو گزارشگر اطلاعات روز به چشم می‌خورد. pic.twitter.com/0vuEwYW28b

— اطلاعات روز | Etilaatroz (@Etilaatroz) September 8, 2021

Many media outlets have ceased operations in Afghanistan. The International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) has also called upon the international community to “ensure that the rights of women and girls are respected, with special regard to women journalists and media professionals.” Violet Gonda, IAWRT President said, “There are many journalists and female social activists whose lives hang in the balance and whose stories may never be told as the Taliban takes over – once again. These are the brave women who challenged the status quo fighting for fundamental rights, but have been left behind while terror strikes”.  

On Tuesday September 7, 2021 thousands of Afghans took to the streets of Kabul to participate in anti-Pakistan protests. Demonstrators included hundreds of women who defied the Taliban’s traditional stand against women stepping out of their homes. The Taliban then reportedly opened fire to disperse protesters. Nevertheless, brave Afghan women continue to demand equal rights vis a vis education and employment, even as Taliban shows its old face again.

Women’s rights are under threat in Afghanistan, but they refuse to be silenced. ? pic.twitter.com/VWaDOiWcOS

— Amnesty International (@amnesty) September 3, 2021

The NWMI had shared earlier that women journalists they are in contact with are “bearing witness to the utter chaos, terror and uncertainty as the nightmare of a brutal Taliban reign becomes a reality, pushing back decades of hard-won progress for women and girls, upon whom the Taliban has meted out particularly horrific treatment merely on account of their gender.” A woman journalist shared this haunting statement with NWMI: “Last week, I was a news journalist. Today, I can’t even write under my own name or say where I am from or where I am. My whole life has been obliterated in just a few days.”

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