Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan, told the Financial Times that he will not speak positively about the Taliban until girls are allowed to return to school.
In the interview, Karzai confirmed that because of his criticism of Taliban policies, particularly regarding girls’ education, he has faced restrictions on his movement, meetings with people, and activities.
He said Taliban officials had asked him to make positive statements about the group’s performance, but Karzai responded by emphasizing that he would not make such statements until girls’ schools are reopened.
Karzai stated: “When girls return to school, then I will have a reason to say positive things about the Taliban. Today, I do not.”
The former Afghan president described the ban on girls’ education as one of the country’s biggest current problems and said Afghanistan cannot have a stable and dynamic future without educated women.
He stressed that women should be able to work in various fields, including education, the economy, medicine, engineering, the judiciary, and the media. Karzai also said that some Taliban members have privately expressed agreement with him on the return of girls to school and the participation of women in the workplace.
The Financial Times reported that despite maintaining relations and holding discussions with Taliban officials, Karzai is effectively under restrictions and needs to coordinate with the group regarding his movements. Karzai also said that his relations with Taliban officials, despite political disagreements, remain “respectful.”
Karzai also said that his two daughters have been deprived of continuing their education at school because of the ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade.
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