Taliban indicated that burqa is not necessary – Afghan women must wear hijab- After coming to power in Afghanistan, Taliban militants have now indicated that they will not make the burqa mandatory for women. In the previous Taliban regime, women had to wear a burqa covering from head to toe, which was widely criticized around the world. However, Afghan women will have to wear the hijab under Taliban rule.
Between 1996 and 2001, girls’ schools were closed and they were barred from traveling and working. Not only this, women were forced to wear a burqa covering from head to toe in public places. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said the burqa was not the only alternative to the hijab. He said that there are many types of hijab and it is not limited to burqa.
‘Women can go to university’
Women also face difficulty in seeing Talibani burqa. This burqa is especially worn by Pashtun women of Afghanistan. Shaheen did not say what other types of hijabs would be accepted by Taliban leaders. Concerns were raised by countries and human rights groups around the world about the clothing and education of Afghan women. Now the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan and the concern about women has increased.
Shaheen said that women in Afghanistan can go from primary to higher education under Taliban rule. This means that women can go to university. He said schools are already operating in areas under Taliban control. Earlier in the previous Taliban government, very strict Sharia laws were implemented. A religious police was formed which suppressed the voices of the people. Not only this, the Taliban courts used to punish women for cutting off the hands of thieves and stoning women for having sex with a stranger.
