Countries across the world are pleading Afghanistan’s case, that the country must not be abandoned at this critical stage in its transition from being run by a US-Afghan civilian hybrid government into a purely Taliban led government. A food security crisis and the crippling cold hitting Afghanistan simultaneously means that there will be death and chaos unless more money is thrown at the problem. That money has to come in form of aid from the west and is conditional upon the Afghan Taliban making good on their initial promises of a progressive and liberal style of running the country. It is therefore unfortunate and akin to shooting themselves in the foot that rather than trying to introduce policies that would project the image of a reformed, less violent and extreme Taliban, the government has announced fresh restrictions on women’s freedom of movement, disallowing them to travel more than 72km without a close male relative accompanying them. Additionally, vehicle owners have been directed to refuse rides to women wearing only head scarves, with only those is ‘full hijab’ allowed to travel using public transport. These new rules are consistent with how the Taliban, since coming to power four months back, have curtailed women’s rights.
There is an obvious disconnect between what the Taliban government’s words and actions. That they want suspended aid to resume but are clearly unwilling to help themselves, shows that the more traditional extremist elements within the Taliban are not only still present but are dominating the decision making and governance process. The Taliban of the 1990s simply have no space in the region or the world anymore and until there is a realization that their survival is contingent upon practically implementing its stated intention to become a globally relevant country through reform and change, it will continue to suffer economic hardship and isolation. Pakistan and its allies have tried to explain this reality to the Taliban government on multiple occasions, clearly to no avail. It seems unless there is an honest effort to correct course emulating from within the Taliban’s top leadership, there will be no meaningful change in the way the country will be run and women’s rights ensured.
