Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General responded to recent statements by Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, regarding the implementation of "Sharia-based punishments in Afghanistan”.

Haq stressed that the UN would continue its efforts to ensure equal rights for women in Afghanistan.

On Monday, during a press conference in New York, he expressed "disappointment" over the newly released speech attributed to Hibatullah Akhundzada.

The UN official stated, "We’ve… as you know, we’ve been expressing our concerns consistently about the mistreatment of women under many of the rulings by the Taliban, and we’ve called for those edicts to be revoked."

The Deputy Spokesperson for the United Nations emphasised that the organisation would persist in its efforts to lift restrictions against women in Afghanistan.

The recent statements by Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, about the implementation of "Sharia-based punishments in Afghanistan" have sparked significant reactions.

The Taliban leader recently said, "We will stone women in public." Hibatullah Akhundzada added that the Taliban's work did not end with their takeover of Kabul, but it has only just begun.