Taliban Official’s Plea to Reopen Girls’ Schools Amidst Afghan Crisis
Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, a senior Taliban official, publicly urged the leadership to reopen schools for Afghan girls, arguing that the current restrictions violate Islamic Sharia law and unjustly affect half the population. He highlighted the historical precedent of women’s education during the Prophet Muhammad’s time. This rebuke comes amid international condemnation of the Taliban’s policies on women’s education and rights, which have stalled the possibility of international recognition for the group. Stanekzai’s statement represents a significant internal challenge to the supreme leader’s decision to keep schools closed.
John Q. Hosedrinker