EU-Funded Initiative to Assist Afghan Journalists in Pakistan Launched

Khosty raised the issue in his speech at a conference.

He shared a part of his speech on X social media platform on Friday, in which he mentioned that the media consistently reports on the Taliban's ban on girls' education and characterises its government as non-inclusive and oppressive.

While the former Taliban spokesperson did not specify any particular media outlet, he stated that the “enemy” consistently reaches out to individuals.

Following the takeover of power in August 2021, the Taliban imposed severe restrictions on the media. Consequently, hundreds of print, audio, and video media outlets were forced to cease operations due to the group's pressure, resulting in thousands of journalists fleeing abroad.

This former Taliban official had previously threatened to kill Taliban opponents abroad.

Khosty tweeted that he would "kill" fugitives and those who preach against the Taliban.

When Khosty served as the spokesperson for Sirajuddin Haqqani in the Taliban's Ministry of Interior, he had been surrounded by accusations of sexually assaulting a medical university student and subsequently compelling her into marriage.

Elaha Delawarzai was detained after the accusation and spent six months in prison. After her release, she claimed that during her detention, the agents of the Taliban's intelligence interrogated and tortured her.

Khosty has repeatedly denied the allegations of sexual assault and torture of Delawarzai.

According to these sources, the Taliban members have told some foreign officials that girls can be educated in religious schools and the Taliban leader has no problem with this.

These sources said that Taliban officials have argued that there is no difference between a school and a religious seminary and that this group teaches professional and religious issues at these seminaries.

According to sources, the Taliban officials have asked the international community to financially support their religious seminaries.

This is while the representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Afghanistan, said in a recent Security Council meeting that evidence shows that more girls are studying in religious schools.

After the Security Council’s meeting, Otunbayeva told Afghanistan International during a press conference quoting the Taliban's Minister of Education that ten million children are studying in Taliban schools. She added that about five million other children are deprived of education.

Otunbayeva said on Thursday after the UN Security Council meeting that the Taliban are trying to bring more children into the religious education system because they believe that religious seminaries are more native to Afghanistan.

In a statement on Saturday, the front stated that its forces were not harmed in this attack.

The Taliban has not yet commented in this regard.

Following the takeover of power by the Taliban in August 2021, the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, led by Ahmad Massoud, has started an armed struggle against the group.

She stated that Roza Otunbayeva, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), seems to be "ready to make compromises on behalf of Afghan girls”.

This Human Rights Watch official on the social media platform X added that there is no future for a country whose children only learn "extremist indoctrination".

Earlier, Otunbayeva had said that the UN had received “evidence" that more girls were attending schools.

On Wednesday, in the UN Security Council meeting, Otunbayeva said that the organisation is investigating the reports about the education of girls in religious schools under the control of the Taliban.

She added that the Taliban do not allow any supervision over the schools and they do not know what they teach there.

Barr, however, criticised Roza Otunbayeva, suggesting that it appears that she is prepared to make compromises with the Taliban.

She has described this “compromise”, which she says is carried out in the absence of Afghan girls, as "impossible and deeply harmful".

The director of the women's division of Human Rights Watch said that Afghan experts frequently talk about schools being replaced by madrassas for the education of boys and girls. "Is the United Nations listening?" asked Barr.

Otunbayeva's statement in the Security Council

On Thursday, at the UN Security Council meeting, Otunbayeva said that the Taliban are trying to get more children into the religious education system.

Acknowledging the challenge to supervise over what is being taught in the Taliban madrassas, she noted that the UN is trying to investigate in this regard.

According to her, reports indicate that girls are allowed to study in madrassas across Afghanistan, but it is not clear if a standard curriculum is being taught or how many girls’ are able to study.

Earlier in a report, Human Rights Watch stated that the Taliban's abusive educational policies harm boys and girls.

According to the report, the Taliban's dismissal of female teachers, increased use of corporal punishment, and regressive changes to the curriculum are failing boys’ schools.

Meanwhile, since the Taliban have dismissed all female teachers from boys' schools, many boys are taught by unqualified people or participate in classes with no teachers at all.

Earlier, the spokesperson of the Taliban’s Interior Ministry had announced the arrest of 40 members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban of Pakistan in Afghanistan.

During a press conference on Thursday, in response to a question in this regard, Baloch stated, "At this stage, we are unable to confirm the existence, scale or effectiveness of any action along those lines."

However, she urged the Taliban to take action against extremist groups, especially Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Earlier, Abdul Mateen Qane, Taliban’s spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, had told local media outlets that the group had arrested several ISIS members and 40 members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Following the takeover of power in August 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a significant surge in insecurity and explosions within its territory. Over the last two years, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for most attacks targeting Pakistani forces.

Pakistani officials say that the leaders and members of the Pakistani Taliban have a safe haven in Afghanistan and plan their attacks from there.

In addition, the Pakistani government has claimed that some members of the Afghan Taliban are also involved in bloody attacks in Pakistan.

Nevertheless, the Afghan Taliban consistently refutes these allegations, saying that Pakistan holds them responsible for the security failures on its part.

Invitation for Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman to Kabul

During the press conference, Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson also stated that she is unaware of the Taliban's invitation for Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, the country’s famous cleric, to visit Kabul.

Baloch said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not aware of the issue and does not want to comment on the private visit of individuals.

On December 17, Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban’s spokesperson said that Fazal-ur-Rehman was invited to Kabul to prevent propaganda against the Taliban in Pakistan.

Mujahid emphasised on the group's intention to share certain facts with the people of Pakistan, highlighting that this Pakistani cleric could play a constructive role in facilitating this communication.

It has been said that Fazal-ur-Rehman accepted the Taliban’s invitation.