Taliban Official Urges Lifting Female Education Bans

In a significant public rebuke of Taliban policy, Sher Abbas Stanikzai, the political deputy at the Foreign Ministry, called for the lifting of education restrictions on Afghan women and girls during a speech in Khost province. Stanikzai emphasized that there is no valid justification for denying education to females, framing the current bans as personal choices rather than interpretations of Islamic law. He highlighted that the Taliban's restrictions unjustly affect 20 million women and girls in Afghanistan, stating, 'We are committing an injustice against 20 million people.' This appeal marks the first time he has directly urged Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada to change policy regarding female education. Stanikzai's remarks come amid ongoing international criticism of the Taliban's treatment of women and girls, with calls for recognition of their rights to education. Despite previous statements advocating for women's education, this latest declaration represents a more direct challenge to the Taliban's existing policies.