Take Advantage of Stability in Afghanistan, Says Taliban’s Deputy PM

The undersecretary of state added on Wednesday, that no society can progress by suppressing half of its population.

Zeya talked about the Afghan and Iranian girls on the occasion of "International Day of the Girls".

While the world celebrates international day of the girls, women and girls in Afghanistan and Iran have been facing restrictions from the Islamic Republic and the Taliban regimes.

With the killing of Iranian girl Mehsa Amini by Iran's moral police, the country has been the witness of widespread protests led by Iranian girls and women. The Iranian government has suppressed the protesters.

In Afghanistan, with the return of the Taliban, it has been more than a year since secondary and high schools have been closed to Afghan girls. Taliban have also deprived women of work and political participation.

Since the start of Taliban control of Afghanistan in August 2021, women and girls have protested the Taliban’s restrictive policies and have demanded the right to education, work, and justice. These protests have always been met with violence.

Mansoor has been appointed as the Taliban governor in Badakhshan and replaced Abdul Ghani Faiq. Taliban’s Chief of Staff of Army Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat introduced Mansoor to the office.

Mansoor asked the people of Badakhshan not to let their children be influenced by propaganda and get killed.

Taliban has appointed a new governor at a time when last week, the NRF forces claimed that they had captured Shekay district of Badakhshan and arrested the group’s district chief for Shekay. The Taliban, however, denied the claim.

NRF forces have been fighting against the Taliban in several provinces including Panjshir, Baghlan, Takhar and Kapisa.

In recent weeks, there have been reports of fierce clashes between the Taliban and the NRF forces in Badakhshan province too.

The Afghan Permanent mission emphasised that voting to extend Afghanistan's membership in the UN Human Rights Council will be an important step in responding to the dire situation of human rights in the country.

The mission has pledged to continue to support and defend the human rights of Afghan citizens and its efforts to bring peace and stability to the country.

The mission also called on member states to stand against the “gender apartheid in Afghanistan” and support “the rights of women and girls" as part of its commitments.

One of the Afghan Permanent Mission’s obligations is to provide information and evidence about human rights violations and international crimes in the absence of domestic human rights mechanisms.

The member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council are supposed to vote for the extension of Afghanistan's membership in this council for the period of 2023-2025.

Earlier on Monday, an explosion had rocked Mehtarlam, the capital city of Laghman province as a result of which around 15 people had been wounded.

No more details about the explosion had been given by the Taliban.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

"The Taliban contacted me regarding my work. I was told that “relevant [Taliban] departments have a few concerns” and that they want “details". I was also accused of making allegations when I had clearly stated that it's others making these allegations; I was simply reporting," she narrated her experience.

She added that she was bombarded with questions asking her to reveal her sources and asking them to put their lives in danger via WhatsApp by the Taliban officials.

She said that the Taliban has informed her that from now on “the government [Taliban] will be holding all sides accountable from now onwards, and anyone found breaking the law or unable to substantiate reports […]will be dealt with according to the law, which includes cancellation of visas and non-entry to Afghanistan.

"I've written critically about the US in Afghanistan, the republic government, and the Taliban. I’ve had supporters of all of the above try to silence me at times, but only the latter is now trying to actively ensure I no longer work in Afghanistan. "Investigations into my reports” are apparently not yet completed, she said.

She also spoke of how journalists have been detained and tortured and even killed for just doing their job.

She said that media in Afghanistan is no longer free-and without this crucial accountability, Taliban will continue to threaten the lives of many Afghans, including journalists.