Journalist Sami Yousafzai Criticizes Taliban’s Call for Afghan Investors Amid Girls’ Education Ban
Following the request by Mullah Yaqoob Mujahid, the Taliban’s acting Defense Minister, urging Afghan investors to bring their capital back into the country from abroad, well-known journalist Sami Yousafzai criticized the ongoing ban on girls’ education, calling it a major obstacle to investment.
Yousafzai wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) page that no sensible investor would return to a country where girls are denied access to school. He emphasized that for investors, the future and education of their children are priorities, and without guaranteeing this fundamental right, trust in the country’s future is difficult to build.
The journalist also added that the ban on girls’ education, especially in medical fields such as medicine and nursing, has further discouraged investors. According to him, under such circumstances, no one is willing to jeopardize their family’s future.
Currently, the prohibition on educating girls beyond the sixth grade and the closure of university gates to them remain in place. Although Taliban officials have repeatedly spoken about providing security in the country, many Afghan specialists and international organizations believe that the continuation of educational restrictions and the reduction of professional staff have directly cast a negative shadow on the economy and investment attraction.
Economic experts say sustainable investment requires legal stability, access to education, and assurance of the future workforce—factors facing serious challenges in Afghanistan’s current conditions.
