Well-known Afghan star wrist spinner Rashid Khan expressed support for women in Afghanistan, especially against the ban imposed by the Taliban regime on students of medical institutions. According to Khaama Press, students from midwifery and nursing programs in Kabul are denied entry from their institutes. As they said, “currently suspended classes,” the officials now cite verbal orders from Taliban leadership.
The latest decision by the Taliban to restrict girls from medical education has attracted large-scale international condemnation. On Wednesday, Rashid put a message on X about his sadness and dejection regarding the Taliban’s move in closing down educational and medical institutions for the “sisters and mothers” of Afghanistan and further stating that education occupies the “central place in Islamic teachings.”
“Education has a prime importance in Islam and calls for knowledge for men and women. The Quran emphasizes education by adding that both genders are given equal spiritual value,” wrote Rashid on the microblogging site.
“I am sad and disappointed indeed and reflect on the outcome of the recent closures of educational and medical institutions for our sisters and mothers in Afghanistan. Not only the lighter burdened future, but also the fabric of society unraveling at the seams is affected by this decision. The anguish and grief they articulate on social media will only ring a bell of the struggles they bear,” he added.
The appeal Rashid claimed was the best attempt for changing minds, as this country stands at a significant point in history. He holds that taking education to all is more than just a social obligation; it is a moral one.
“Afghanistan stands at a crossroads and is waiting for compromises. The need for professionals in every field is intensified in the medical sector. Most importantly, a shortage of female doctors and nurses is really worrisome because it affects healthcare and dignity of women. Care for our sisters and mothers must be provided by professional health workers caring for their needs,” he said.
“I really plead for another look at this decision for Afghan girls to reclaim their rightful place in education and, indeed, their contribution to the nation’s development. Educating all is not just a social amend but also a moral responsibility rooted in the faith and values,” he concluded.
The Khaama Press report delivered by the Taliban has not given any reason for the new decision.
In his take, Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights referred to the new ban adopted by the Taliban on education for Afghan girls as an “unprecedented injustice.”
He called the decision a “discriminatory” one, thereby adding to the disempowerment of women’s rights in Afghanistan and demanded its immediate withdrawal.
Former President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, also commented on the decision made by the Taliban recently.
Ever since the Taliban reasserted power in Kabul, several efforts have been made to limit the freedom of women in the nation.
Three years of a Taliban regime completed this year. It was in August when UNESCO published a report confirming that 1.4 million girls had deliberately been denied access to secondary education since 2021 due to the bans instated by de facto authorities.
