Pakistan Fears Strong, Independent Afghan Government, Says Taliban Minister

In a statement released by the Taliban’s spokesperson on Thursday, Hibatullah Akhundzada said past governments promoted corruption and immorality, which he alleged alienated Afghans from their faith.

“In previous regimes, un-Islamic matters flourished, and people became strangers to religion,” Akhundzada said. “Those regimes promoted corruption and immorality, destroyed people’s minds, and encouraged opposition to religion. They invested heavily in this effort.”

He added: “Today, the minds of people have become so corrupted that Sharia appears unfamiliar to them.”

The Taliban said the remarks were made during a meeting held at the governor’s office in Kandahar, where Akhundzada addressed religious scholars from 15 districts. While the group claims the leader delivered a speech, no photos or videos of the gathering were published.

Akhundzada called on religious scholars to take a more active role in implementing Taliban policies and promoting Islamic values. “You, the scholars, are the dearest servants of God on Earth, and since your responsibility is great, you must fulfil it in the best possible way,” he said.

He stressed that society follows the example set by religious scholars and rulers. “If these two groups are righteous, society will be righteous. But if they fall into corruption, the people will follow them.”

Call for Public Awareness on Road Safety

The Taliban leader also addressed road safety, urging clerics to educate the public about traffic laws in order to reduce Afghanistan’s rising number of road accidents.

“Road incidents have recently increased, causing fatalities,” he said. “Religious scholars should raise awareness so that people do not recklessly endanger their own lives or the lives of others.”

According to the Taliban’s traffic department, more than 4,000 road accidents occurred in the last ten months of the previous year, resulting in at least 2,000 deaths.

Pledge to Reform Afghanistan’s Youth

Akhundzada also spoke about the country’s younger generation, saying: “The youth of Afghanistan are like my own children, and I am trying to reform them. God willing, I will fulfil my responsibility in this regard.”

He urged scholars to take a leading role in the “reformation of society,” particularly in religious matters, and insisted that all Taliban-issued laws and decrees are rooted in Islamic Sharia and must be promoted accordingly.

According to the Taliban statement, the scholars in attendance renewed their pledge of allegiance to Akhundzada.

The meeting follows a similar gathering held last week with the Herat ulema council, during which Akhundzada reaffirmed the importance of following religious scholars and warned of efforts to undermine the Taliban by dividing the clerical establishment and eroding public trust.

Under the banner of enforcing Sharia law, the Taliban have imposed harsh restrictions including a ban on education for girls beyond grade six and the exclusion of women from public life and employment in many sectors.

In response to ongoing human rights violations, particularly targeting women and girls, the International Criminal Court (ICC) recently issued arrest warrants for both Hibatullah Akhundzada and the Taliban’s chief justice.

In a joint report released Thursday, with international humanitarian organisation CARE, UN Women expressed deep concern over the situation of Afghan women and girls deported from Iran and Pakistan. The report calls for immediate and sustained assistance.

The findings highlight Afghanistan’s deepening economic crisis and worsening climate conditions, noting that returning women and girls are re-entering a country where their rights and freedoms are already under severe restrictions imposed by the Taliban.

“Vulnerable women and girls arriving with nothing into communities that are already stretched to breaking point puts them at even greater risk,” said Susan Ferguson, UN Women’s Country Representative in Afghanistan.

Ferguson stressed the urgent need for additional funding to support returnees. The report identifies a lack of safe and affordable shelter, stable income, and access to education as among the key challenges they face.

It also details restrictions specifically impacting deported women, including limited freedom of movement, lack of identity documents, and growing security concerns.

“Women humanitarian workers at the border are critical to reaching women and girls. But their work is increasingly limited by foreign aid cuts and movement restrictions,” the report states.

Female humanitarian staff at border crossings have reported being overwhelmed by the growing number of returnees and unable to meet even their most basic needs.

Graham Davison, CARE’s Country Director in Afghanistan, said: “Witnessing the volume of arrivals and the hardship faced by women, children and families, many distressed, disoriented and without hope, has left a deep impact on all of us responding to this crisis.”

He added that immediate support is essential to provide life-saving services, safe spaces, and critical humanitarian assistance to deported women and girls.

Speaking before the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Bennett said that since seizing power, the Taliban have suspended the Afghan constitution and repealed all laws that previously protected the rights of women and girls. He noted that all judges from the former government, including 270 women, have been removed from their positions.

In their place, he added, the Taliban have appointed men with no legal training or judicial experience, who issue rulings based solely on the group’s strict interpretation of religion. The Taliban now exercise full control over law enforcement and all investigative bodies.

Bennett’s latest report, focused on access to justice and the protection of women and girls, is based on online interviews with more than 110 Afghans both inside and outside the country. He said the Taliban did not respond to requests for comment or provide information regarding efforts to uphold justice or protect women’s rights.

Although the Taliban claim to enforce justice based on “Islamic Sharia,” religious scholars and legal experts argue that their interpretation is not recognised in any other Muslim country and is incompatible with core Islamic principles.

The report states: “Today, there are no women judges or prosecutors and no officially registered female lawyers, leaving women and girls with fewer safe channels to report abuse or seek redress.”

Bennett also highlighted the Taliban’s policy requiring women to be accompanied by a male guardian when accessing institutions. He said this rule creates significant obstacles to filing complaints or appearing in court, particularly for widows, female heads of households, displaced women, and those with disabilities.

Women who do engage with the Taliban’s justice system, whether to file legal complaints, seek family documents, or respond to charges, often face hostility, and their cases are frequently dismissed, the report said.

As a result, many Afghan women are turning to traditional and informal justice systems such as jirgas (tribal councils), community elders, or local religious figures. These systems, however, are overwhelmingly male-dominated and often perpetuate gender bias.

Bennett urged the international community to support efforts to refer Afghanistan to the International Court of Justice for violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

According to Teymour Ali Asgari, Deputy Governor for Culture, Social Affairs and Pilgrimage, an estimated 150,000 Afghan nationals are currently waiting to travel to Iraq to take part in the ceremonies, which mark the 40th day of mourning after Ashura.

Asgari stated that many of the pilgrims are entering Iran using their own chartered buses and are continuing their journey to Iraq via designated transit routes.

Last year, approximately 50,000 Afghan pilgrims travelled from Afghanistan, while an additional 25,000 Afghan nationals residing in Iran particularly in the city of Mashhad also made the pilgrimage to Iraq. This year’s figures represent a threefold increase compared to 2024.

Iranian authorities, including the Ministry of Intelligence and consular offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in both Afghanistan and Iraq, are reportedly coordinating efforts to manage the growing number of pilgrims and ensure smooth transit through Iranian territory.

Asgari also noted that last year, some Afghan pilgrims remained in Iraq after Arbaeen or temporarily stayed in Iran upon returning. He said that this trend is expected to grow in the current year.

Each year, tens of thousands of Afghan pilgrims travel to the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala to participate in Arbaeen rituals, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.

In a statement issued Thursday, the court said the group’s drug control court in Kabul had sentenced seven individuals for trafficking and selling alcohol, hashish. The defendants received between 10 and 39 lashes, along with prison sentences ranging from one to three years.

In a separate announcement, the court reported that seven others including one woman were punished in the Shah Joy district of Zabul province for offences including theft, “illicit sexual relations,” and same-sex relations. Each was publicly flogged with between 20 and 30 lashes.

The punishments were carried out by local Taliban court officials in the presence of residents, military personnel, and court authorities.

Just one day earlier, the Taliban had publicly flogged 10 individuals in Kabul and Maidan Wardak provinces on charges related to theft and drug offences.

Despite repeated condemnation from international human rights organisations, which classify corporal punishment as torture and a violation of international law, the Taliban continue to carry out public floggings. The group maintains that such punishments are in accordance with “Islamic Sharia law.”