Haroon Hakimi Warns of Serious Consequences from Ban on Girls’ Education in Afghanistan
Haroon Hakimi, former Deputy Minister of Information and Culture in the Republican government, has stated that the continued ban on girls’ education and restrictions on women’s rights in Afghanistan pose a more serious threat than Pakistan’s military attacks and endanger the country’s future.
He emphasized that no conscientious person, “not even a conscientious Pakistani,” can justify Pakistan’s military attacks on Afghanistan, describing the act as an invasion. However, in his view, depriving girls and women of education and their fundamental rights inflicts deeper and more lasting damage on the country.
Hakimi added that closing schools and universities to girls weakens the foundations of Afghanistan’s development and stability more than any external threat, as education is considered the basis for social and economic growth in any society.
He urged the Taliban administration to open the doors of schools and universities to girls with the start of the new academic year and to respect women’s fundamental rights. This request comes just days before the new school year begins.
Over the past three years, educational restrictions on girls have faced widespread domestic and international criticism. The United Nations and several global organizations have repeatedly called on the Taliban administration to lift the ban on girls’ education; however, these restrictions remain in place, casting uncertainty over the future of millions of Afghan girls.
