Taliban Deputy Appeals for Lifting Education Ban

In a significant public rebuke, Sher Abbas Stanikzai, a senior Taliban figure and political deputy at the Afghan Foreign Ministry, has called on the Taliban leadership to lift the ban on education for women and girls. Speaking at a religious school ceremony in Khost province, Stanikzai argued there is no religious justification for the education ban, labeling it a personal choice and an injustice affecting 20 million people. His remarks come amidst reports of halted medical training for women, further restricting female access to essential services. While this is not the first time Stanikzai has advocated for female education, his recent comments represent a direct appeal to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. Women's rights activists remain skeptical, suggesting these statements might be strategic moves to improve the Taliban's international standing. The United Nations has indicated that international recognition of the Taliban remains unlikely without changes in policies on female education and employment.