Mohammad Amjad Hossain :
Having seen the departure of US armed forces apart from NATO troops as well on 30th September, 2021Taliban has reoccupied Afghanistan again and started their business as usual but their behaviors towards Women folk in particular has not changed as yet. Women are prohibited to go to school and offices. It seems to be ridiculous indeed. In this connection I would like to remind that first wife of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (SM) Bibi Khadeja was involved in direct business while his second wife Aisha along with Talhah and Zubayr led rebellion at Basra in Iraq against Hazrat Ali on 7 November at 656 for not avenging the murder of Hazrat Uthman. They were defeated in the battle.
Top Taliban officials are not in fact in favor of women education, reported ABC news on 29 September, 2021 and Taliban leaders in fact gave contradictory opinions about education of women. Meanwhile, a spokesperson in the State Department of USA is reported to have said that any Government should demonstrate respect for and inclusion education for women. Spokesperson has added that access to higher education on the basis of merit for all individuals is one of the principles codified in the Universal declaration of Human Rights. Education to women is not restricted in Islam that has been reflected in the announcement of Prophet Mohammad (SM) that, if necessary, please go to China for higher studies.
The Taliban in Afghanistan of late interpreted sharia law of Islam which has made scare of LGBT and women in deed. Surah Nisa has spoken about women. Women should be treated with respect while Karen Armstrong, an Irish Roman catholic, holds the opinion that the Quran was in favor of creating a just community in which all members, even the most weak and vulnerable, were treated with absolute respect. The Quran gave women rights of inheritance and divorce before western women were accorded. The women of the first Ummah in Madina took full part in public life. Women also fought in the battle fields along with men.
It is ironic that Afghanistan had been under attack since the days of Alexander the Great of Macedonia in 330 BC while Afghanistan was under the occupation by old Persia under King Darius who was defeated at the battle of Gingerella but Alexander the Great did not continue to rule Afghanistan. Another war monger Chinggis khan occupied Mongolia in 1219-1221 who planned to expand from the North East to create Mongol Empire. That expansion was the inclusion of Afghanistan. Only during the rule of King Zahir Shah Afghanistan was relatively prosperous from 1933 to 1973.
It is now revealed that President George Bush invaded Afghanistan on false pretext since the reveal of a secret report of US intelligence agencies released by President Joseph Biden which clearly indicated that Saudi Arabia was reportedly involved in attacking the United States of America while the hijacker was assisted by Saudi Arabia. It seems to be interesting to quote report by The Washington Post of 22 July 2004 which reported that at least 13 relatives of Osama bin Laden, accompanied by bodyguards and associates, were allowed to leave the United States.
Since the US invaded Afghanistan on false pretext at least 2,448 US military personnel, apart from 47,225 Afghan civilians have expired while the war in Afghanistan incurred at least two trillion dollars during the last 20 years. Since the US vacated following withdrawal of US troops, apart from NATO troops by 30 August 2021 Taliban reoccupied Afghanistan.
A new chapter is expected to open between the USA and Taliban soon since talks between the Acting Foreign Minister of Taliban and US officials began in Doha in October 9 this year. The Taliban delegation is led by Acting Foreign Minister Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqui while the US delegation is composed of representatives of the US state Department, US agency for International Development and US intelligence. A spokesperson in State department held the opinion that the talks are not related to recognition of Taliban regime or legitimize the regime while the priority was the continuation of safe departure of Afghans, US citizen while another goal to urge the Taliban to respect the rights of all Afghans, including women and girls, apart from formation of inclusive government while Taliban is interested to lift its ban on the reserves of Afghan Central Bank, apart from discussing implementation of agreement with Taliban on 9 October 2020 in Washington DC. Having fruitful discussion Taliban is expected to continue discussion with representatives of NATO. Let us wait and see the prospect of the discussion.
(Mohammad Amjad Hossain, retired diplomat from Bangladesh and former President of NOVA Toastmaster international club of America writes from Falls Church, Virginia).
