Amidst continuous role on the part of the international community, especially UN gun-toting Taliban have celebrated what they called “victorious return” into power corridors of war Afghanistan couple of days back. Giving a deaf ear response to international community’s appeals of “honoring and respecting human rights (HR),” Taliban rulers on that particular occasion also demonstrated its inhuman and immoral acts of punishing and victimizing innocent civilians especially those who remained part of previous regimes or believed in other religious faith.
Instead of listening to cries of war affected Afghans who are passing through miserable conditions throughout the world and HR defenders, one Taliban office holder has defended, “denial of education rights to women” by saying, “similar is the situation in Israel where civilians are subjected to the worst kind of violence.” On that particular day, instead of answering to stock of queries regarding women and children rights, the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid through X page message “has stressed on the implementation of justice in Afghanistan and warned if justice is not implemented the regime will be collapsed.” Such remarks on the part of Mujahid also confirm that Afghan Taliban, fearing threats to their regime, imposed on Afghans through guns and bullets.
No one can deny the fact that since a long the UN and other international organs are helpless before US lead allies who give preference to its own purposes and interests in war like situations especially prolonged Afghan conflict, Ukraine and others. Instead of building up pressure against Taliban to observe human rights as it did against former USSR backed regimes from December 1979 till April 1992, the US has admitted to releasing a huge amount of 239 million US dollars to Kabul authorities. Amidst this confession, senior most Pakistani politician Afrasiab Khattak is known for his words, “in accordance with Doha Qatar agreement, US making payment to Kabul on weekly basis.”
Since 2021, Taliban systematically stripped women of their rights, including education and work
On the eve of Taliban’s third year, the Rawadari, an organization working for rights in its statement states, “Taliban have increased their enforcement of their repressive policies against women including detaining women for their “bad hijab” and arresting teachers for running secret classes for girls.” It recalled that on August 15, 2021, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, leading to severe consequences for Afghans, particularly women and girls. Over the past three years, the Taliban have systematically stripped women of their fundamental rights, including the right to education, work and freedom of movement. Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are banned from secondary education. The Taliban have increased their enforcement of their repressive policies against women including detaining women for their “bad hijab” and arresting teachers for running secret classes for girls.”
It further states, “Rawadari has continuously monitored and documented these violations, despite severe and increasing restrictions on access to information by the Taliban. From August 15, 2021, to June 30, 2024, Rawadari has recorded 9,276 cases of human rights violations, nearly half of which involve the right to life. These include targeted killings, civilian casualties from attacks, enforced disappearances, illegal detentions and cruel punishments.”
Besides, Rawadari, the UN also denounced the Taliban for its aggressions based policies towards the civilians, by saying, “ The International Community must not normalize de facto authorities and their regime of institutionalized discrimination, segregation and exclusion of women and girls.” “Over the past three years, the people of Afghanistan, especially women and girls, have been subjected to an appalling and intensifying attack on their rights and freedoms by a regime that lacks legitimacy and inclusivity, quashes all forms of dissent, represses civil society and the media, and has shown a flagrant disregard for the principles of justice, non-discrimination, equality, and the rule of law.”
Taliban labels women and girl’s rights to education and work as an internal matter
It further states that the situation continues to deteriorate, and stronger international action is needed immediately. In the last year, the Taliban has further entrenched and intensified its system of institutionalized gender-oppression, introducing new discriminatory edicts and practices, and implementing them by harsh and violent means. Since taking power, the de facto authorities have issued more than 80 edicts, directives, and statements which specifically target and restrict the rights of women and girls.
According to a UN statement, “the Taliban’s deliberate subjugation of women and girls is widespread and systematic, amounting to crimes against humanity, including the crime of gender persecution. The situation is so severe that many Afghans, especially women, say the situation can be best described as ‘gender apartheid.’ Despite this, Taliban officials have insisted the situation of women and girls is an ‘internal’ matter.
Whatever the claims and stances on the part of Taliban and their “visible and invisible” patrons, the fact is that they converted Afghanistan into a “BIG PRISON” where the inmates are safe but their lives are at mercy of rulers. Despite adopting or following patience and restraint policies, even the regional countries are reluctant in having friendly and cordial relations with Afghanistan due to UN pressures. In the last three years, over 0.7 million have made good their flee towards western and European world. Millions of others, not only those waiting for chances in neighboring South and Central Asian States but also in the Arab world are in hunt of fleeing to western world for their survival.
Compared to the 1990s, the internal situation of Afghanistan is hostile for those who either remained part of the US backed Afghan War or Western-World supported democratic process. One can disagree but the fact is that the US lead allies through the Doha Accord achieved what they didn’t through the 2001 War on Terror and 1988 Geneva Accord. Prior to Taliban entrance in Kabul, Pakistan had also played an important role in remaining a very honest and sincere inheritance to British Colonial rulers famous strategic policies of “divide and rule.” Earlier in the 1990s almost non-Pushtoon Afghans didn’t leave the country and remained on the forefront of armed resistance against Pakistan patronized by the Taliban. But this time healthy wealthy like Dostam and co already settled in Turkey and almost successors and followers of late Prof. Rabbani and Ahmad Shah Mehsud airlifted to Pakistan little before the entrance of Taliban into Kabul.
Taliban ties with Pakistan turning unfriendly or even foes-like relations; Meanwhile don’t forget about ISIS-K
Major failure on the part of Taliban could be considered its growing unfriendly or even foes like relations with Pakistan. Such relations are only multiplying miseries of common people but it is also paving the way for strengthening or consolidating positions of Islamic State Khurasan. Strengthening of IS K is not only harmful to the very interests of Afghanistan and its people but it is considered “a very fastly emerging threat” to regional countries especially to neighbors including Pakistan. The Afghanistan Security Watch, an online organization in its report about the ISIS-K operations states that during the past three years in Afghanistan and said after August 15,2021 this group has conducted 62 terrorist attacks, leading to 857 deaths and 1,575 injuries, affecting civilians, Taliban members, and foreign nationals. According to reports, almost all of these attacks, apart from capital Kabul, have been carried out in cities and towns adjacent to neighboring countries. In 2019, Afghan government with help of US and others picked up over three thousands IS-K militants from Nangarhar and its surrounding areas. Afghanistan Security Watch Report reveals, “in 2021 following the Taliban’s release of approximately 3,000 ISKP members and their families from prisons, the group rebuilt its structure and emerged as a significant threat to Afghanistan and the broader region. 2022: Internal discord, weak governance, and divisions within the Taliban allowed ISKP to increase its influence within various Taliban factions and expand its terrorist activities in Afghanistan. In this year, ISKP also claimed responsibility for two rocket attacks on Tajikistan and Uzbekistan from Afghan territory. 2023: Intelligence cooperation between the Taliban and regional powers, particularly Iran and Russia, led to targeted operations against ISKP, resulting in a reduction in attacks compared to 2022. 2024: ISKP bolstered its cells by intensifying recruitment and propaganda efforts.”
Security and economic hardships of the South and Central Asian region couldn’t afford a war like situation any more. Keeping in mind increasing miseries of wars, terror and poverty hit people of this particular region, the Taliban leaders must review its internal and external policies. Their ignorance or reluctance towards an inclusive government would definitely enable no other than IS-K militants who are already engaged in waging proxies. It is the time for Taliban leaders to get rid of abroad patronage and let the representative leadership decide the destiny of war affected and war scattered people.
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