TALIBAN BAN
Pakistan rules out talks with TTP, urges Afghanistan to act against terror groups
Pakistan has ruled out talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), citing their involvement in killings. Pakistan's Foreign Office urged Afghanistan to act against terrorists on its soil. The Illegal Foreign Repatriation Plan has repatriated over half a million undocumented refugees, despite criticism. Islamabad expects Afghan authorities to address terror threats.
A Taliban delegation attends a UN-led meeting in Qatar on Afghanistan, with women excluded
The Taliban were not invited to the first meeting, and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said they set unacceptable conditions for attending the second one in February, including demands that Afghan civil society members be excluded from the talks and that the Taliban be treated as the country's legitimate rulers. The Taliban seized power in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO forces were in the final weeks of their pullout from the country following two decades of war.
More than 180 terrorists killed in Pakistan special ops since April
Pakistan Security Forces have conducted over 7,500 operations since April, resulting in the elimination of 181 terrorists, including key commanders linked to banned outfits. These operations, spanning provinces like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Sindh, have also thwarted Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP) attempts to carry out subversive activities in urban areas. The report highlights successful operations in KPK, Balochistan, and Sindh, with specific mentions of 2,701 operations in KPK resulting in 61 terrorists killed, 4,902 operations in Balochistan with 12 terrorists eliminated, and 142 operations in Sindh province against militants.
Russia to remove Taliban from its list of banned terror groups, invites them for economic forum
Russia will remove the Taliban from a list of banned terrorist organisations. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that 'the Taliban are the ones holding real power in Afghanistan'. 'We are going to remove them from the list of terrorist organisa...
From spring offensive to charm offensive: The Taliban are working to woo tourists to Afghanistan
Afghanistan's tourism industry, led by enthusiastic students and government support, aims to overcome obstacles and project a positive image internationally. Despite challenges, efforts are made to enhance tourism while navigating political and social restrictions.
Afghan women become YouTubers as Taliban restrict work
Hayat, 21, was a budding actor in local film and television until the Taliban seized power in 2021 and began issuing decrees on women that included banning TV dramas with female actors and ordering women to wear strict hijab while presenting the news.
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From India to US, here’s a list of countries that have banned TikTok
US House approves bill forcing TikTok to sever ties with Bytedance to avoid US ban, amid global concerns over data security. Several countries, including India, EU, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, New Zealand, UK, and Afghanistan, have also banned TikTok.
Taliban set unacceptable conditions for attending a UN meeting, says UN secretary-general
At a U.N.-sponsored meeting in Qatar, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres revealed that the Taliban imposed unacceptable conditions for their participation, including the exclusion of Afghan civil society members and demands resembling official recognition as Afghanistan's legitimate rulers. Despite efforts to engage with the Taliban, they did not attend due to unmet demands.
Afghan province orders officials not to photograph living things
Images of humans and animals are generally avoided in Islamic art, extending for some Muslims to an aversion to any images of living things. A spokesperson for Kandahar's governor told AFP the letter was authentic.
Foreign aid drops sharply as Taliban abuses jeopardise the Afghan health system, group says
Human Rights Watch has reported that Afghanistan's public health system has been severely impacted by a sharp reduction in foreign assistance and serious Taliban abuses against women and girls, leaving the population increasingly vulnerable to severe malnutrition and illness. The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 drove millions into poverty and hunger after foreign aid stopped almost overnight.
Twelve, including 10 security personnel, killed on polling day terror attacks in Pakistan
“Despite 51 cowardly terrorist attacks, mostly in KP and Balochistan, aimed at disrupting the electoral process, the soldiers remained resolute and effectively ensured peace and security across Pakistan. Twelve people (including 10 personnel of security forces and law enforcement agencies) died and 39 others have been injured in these attacks,” the army statement said.
Hafiz Saeed serving 78-year imprisonment in Pakistan: UN
The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed is in the custody of Pakistan and serving a 78-year imprisonment sentence, the United Nations said in updated information.
Afghan schoolgirls are finishing sixth grade in tears. Under Taliban rule, their education is over
An official in the Education Ministry said Afghan girls of all ages are allowed to study in religious schools known as madrassas, which have traditionally been boys-only. But Otunbayeva said it was unclear if there was a standardized curriculum that allowed modern subjects.
Afghan farmers lose income of more than USD 1 billion after the Taliban banned poppy cultivation
Afghan farmers suffered over $1 billion income loss due to the Taliban's ban on poppy cultivation, a UN report showed. The ban, imposed in April 2022, caused a 95% drop in opium cultivation. This downturn has significant economic and humanitarian repercussions, affecting livelihoods and potentially leading to illegal activities like drug trafficking.
The Taliban have banned girls from school for 2 years. It's a worsening crisis for all Afghans
The United Nations General Assembly is addressing the rights of Afghan women and children, particularly concerning the Taliban's ban on girls' education. The ban, which the Taliban justifies based on their interpretation of Islamic law, affects over 1 million girls in Afghanistan. Muslim-majority countries and international organizations have condemned the ban, but the Taliban remains resistant. The impact of the ban extends beyond education, affecting the country's economy, healthcare, and overall population. While it may take time for the consequences to trigger widespread unrest among Afghan men, women have already protested against the restrictions.
UN says drastic rise in meth trade in Afghanistan after opiate ban
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have clamped down on the decades-old, lucrative trade in poppy tar - the psychoactive substance in heroin -since surging back to power two years ago.
In another regressive move, Taliban bans women from Band-e-Amir National Park in Afghanistan
The Taliban has banned women from visiting Band-e-Amir National Park in Afghanistan's Bamyan province. Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, the Taliban's Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, stated that a mechanism is being created to eventually allow women to enter the park. However, until then, women are not permitted to enter.
Afghanistan: Taliban imposes ban on all political parties
The Afghan Taliban has imposed one more ban, this time on political parties in Afghanistan. Interim Minister for Justice, Sha-ikh Maulavi Abdul Hak-eem Sharae said there was a complete ban on activities of political parties in Afghanistan, the Dawn reported.
UN draft urges Afghan rulers to reverse bans on women, girls
The resolution, drafted by the United Arab Emirates and Japan, is scheduled to be voted on by the 15-member council on Thursday afternoon. Diplomats said it is almost certain to be approved, though Russia and China might abstain.
Taliban ban restaurant gardens for families, women in Herat
The Taliban have prohibited women and families from restaurants with green spaces in Afghanistan's Herat province, following complaints about gender mixing. The move is part of a series of restrictions imposed by the Taliban, including banning girls from school beyond sixth grade and women from universities and employment. Taliban authorities claim the restrictions are necessary to limit gender mixing and ensure women wear Islamic headscarves correctly.
Ruling Taliban display rare division in public over bans in Afghanistan
In recent months, the group's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has appeared to take a stronger hand in directing policy. In particular, it was on his orders that the Taliban government banned women and girls from universities and schools after the sixth grade.
Taliban ban on women workers hits vital aid for Afghans
The ban, announced Dec. 24, forced a widespread shutdown of many aid operations by organizations that said they cannot and would not work without their female staff. Aid agencies warn that hundreds of thousands are already hurt by the halt in services and that, if the ban continues, the dire and even deadly consequences will spiral wider for a population battered by decades of war, deteriorating living conditions and economic hardship.
Taliban ban university education for Afghan girls
After the takeover of the country by the Taliban, universities were forced to implement new rules including gender-segregated classrooms and entrances, while women were only permitted to be taught by women professors or old men. Most teenage girls across the country have already been banned from secondary school education, severely limiting university intake. The ban on higher education comes less than three months after thousands of girls and women sat for university entrance exams across the country, with many aspiring to choose teaching and medicine as future careers.
Taliban bans university education for Afghan girls
Despite promising a softer rule when they seized power last year, the Taliban have ratcheted up restrictions on all aspects of women's lives, ignoring international outrage.
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