ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry hit out at theTaliban-led administration in Afghanistan over latest restrictions onwomen, calling them “extremist” and “retrogressive” thinking, which poses“danger” to Pakistan.
The Afghan Taliban authorities on Sunday put limits on women travellingalone, stating that those traveling for more than 45 miles (72 kilometers)should not be offered a ride if they are not accompanied by a close malerelative.
Afghanistan’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vicehas issued the guidance, also urging owners of transport companies to offerrides only to women wearing hijabs.
Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad, Pakistani information minister saidthat two “extremist regimes” had emerged on the two sides of Pakistan,referring to Afghanistan, where the Taliban regained power in mid-Augustand India where Narendra Modi-led Hindu nationalist government is in power.
“On one side there is Afghanistan where the Taliban have arrived [inpower]. We want to fully help the people of Afghanistan, but to say overthere that women can’t travel alone or go to school, go to college, thiskind of retrogressive thinking is a danger for Pakistan,” Arab News quotedthe information minister as saying.
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He said that Pakistan’s biggest battle is with these “two types ofextremist thinking.”
The information minister’s comment comes as Pakistan is calling on theworld to recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan and extend aid tothem amid the looming humanitarian crisis.
The Taliban have been under pressure from the international community, whohave been raising concerns about women’s rights in the country.
