Pakistan Could Revise Afghan Refugee Expulsion Deadline, Says Senior Adviser

In the statement, Akhundzada cited a Quranic verse urging Muslims to avoid disputes in matters of jihad. He described unity as the key to success, encouraging Taliban members to strengthen it and remain alert to “enemy conspiracies.”

Akhundzada emphasised his commitment to defending Afghanistan’s Islamic system and Sharia-based governance, while notably omitting any mention of women’s rights or the ongoing ban on girls’ education beyond sixth grade.

He claimed Afghans now celebrate Eid in safety and happiness under Taliban rule. Akhundzada contrasted this with previous conditions, when he said citizens faced bombings, house searches, imprisonment, and funerals instead of celebrations.

Addressing economic concerns, Akhundzada dismissed reports of widespread poverty in Afghanistan as “propaganda” aimed at discouraging people. However, international organisations, including the United Nations, report that nearly half of Afghanistan’s population faces poverty and unemployment. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently noted that almost 23 million Afghans require humanitarian aid.

In his message, Akhundzada praised the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, saying its efforts had significantly reduced wrongdoing. He called for further cooperation between the Taliban and the public to eliminate corruption and uphold Islamic morals.

Akhundzada instructed Taliban-controlled institutions to align educational curricula with Sharia law, reinforcing the implementation of Islamic punishments under Hanafi jurisprudence in Taliban courts.

On international affairs, Akhundzada condemned Israeli attacks on Gaza, describing them as acts of oppression and horror. He urged Islamic countries to support Palestinians in reclaiming their rights, emphasising that the issue of Palestine concerns the entire Muslim world.

Since regaining power, the Taliban have faced widespread international condemnation for severe restrictions imposed on women and girls. Akhundzada, who governs from Kandahar, continues issuing restrictive decrees that have drawn sharp criticism globally.

The court stated that the person received 37 lashes and was sentenced to one year and six months in prison following a ruling by local judicial authorities, approved by the Taliban’s highest court.

Details about the trial process, including whether the individual had legal representation, were not disclosed in the statement. The flogging was carried out in public, a practice the Taliban frequently employs across Afghanistan for those their courts deem guilty.

Such punishments have fuelled widespread fear and intimidation among Afghan communities. International human rights organisations have repeatedly criticised the Taliban’s justice system, highlighting the absence of fair trial mechanisms under their rule.

In a Wednesday post on X, Bennett expressed solidarity with the athletes.

“I support the call by the Sport & Rights Alliance for FIFA to take a strong stand against systematic gender oppression and ensure that Afghan women footballers in exile, who are barred from playing in Afghanistan, can return to international competition,” he wrote.

The Sport & Rights Alliance had previously echoed this demand on X, pressing FIFA to address the discrimination that prevents exiled Afghan women footballers from participating. Human Rights Watch and other organisations have similarly urged FIFA and the alliance to facilitate their return to competitive matches.

In a recent letter, FIFA reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring the situation of women’s football in Afghanistan. The organisation stressed that supporting women’s football remains a priority and that it is exploring practical, sustainable ways to improve Afghan women and girls’ access to the sport.

In a statement, UNAMA chief Roza Otunbayeva stated that the Taliban disregards the Afghan people’s demands.

She added that the ban not only jeopardises girls’ futures but undermines peace and well-being for all Afghans. She warned that the policy exacerbates Afghanistan’s already severe human rights, humanitarian, and economic crises, further isolating the country from the global community.

The new school year began approximately a week ago, yet girls above the sixth grade remain barred from classrooms, a restriction enforced by the Taliban’s Ministry of Education since their 2021 takeover. The ban extends to universities, where female students have also been excluded for four consecutive years.

Otunbayeva highlighted the closure of girls’ schools as a primary obstacle to Afghanistan’s recovery. She said that it dims prospects for improvement and must be lifted.

The ongoing denial of education to Afghan girls has drawn widespread condemnation. Amnesty International, UNICEF, and prominent global figures have renewed calls for the Taliban to reverse the policy. Despite this, the Taliban has shown no willingness to relent, maintaining its stance amid mounting pressure.

Saleh cast doubt on US President Donald Trump’s pledge to recover American weapons from the Taliban, suggesting it may be a symbolic gesture rather than a substantive policy.

"I do not know if it is just one of those headline-media slogans or if it will be backed by real actions," Saleh said of Trump’s call to retrieve weapons valued at £5.5 billion ($7 billion). He speculated that Trump aims to "publicly ride the Taliban once to show that they are under control, and then the US will start to tap them, hug them, and feed them more than before.”

Saleh, a vocal critic of the Taliban, claimed that nearly 100,000 NATO and US weapons have vanished since the group’s 2021 takeover of Afghanistan. He said "We know their serial numbers and the location from which they went missing. The word ‘missing’ is strange. It can mean stolen, sold or simply sent to secret location for secret purposes."

Reports since the Taliban’s return to power suggest American arms are surfacing beyond Afghanistan’s borders. Pakistan has accused the Taliban of arming the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch militants, who are using these weapons against Pakistani forces. Similar claims have emerged from India, with allegations of US-made arms appearing in Kashmir.

Pakistan has repeatedly pointed to Afghanistan as a sanctuary for the TTP, a charge the Taliban denies despite evidence of growing insurgent activity.

Saleh also critiqued India’s warming relations with the Taliban, accusing New Delhi of sidelining Afghan factions that favour a pluralistic system. He suggested India is engaging the Taliban to mitigate terrorism risks or subtly influence the group’s structure. However, he warned that the Taliban’s inherent nature makes them a destabilising force.