Taliban to hold major meeting with representatives

29/6/2022 9:52

        Thousands of religious scholars
        and ethnic leaders from across Afghanistan will gather this week
        to discuss key issues for the first time since the Taliban took
        power last year, as the group faced calls to ensure the meeting
        included women.
        
        "Very soon a great gathering will be held in Kabul," Taliban
        administration spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, adding that
        religious scholars and ethnic leaders from all provinces would
        participate in the meeting which clerics had called for.
        
        The meeting will start on Wednesday in the capital Kabul and
        run for three days, a source with knowledge of the matter said,
        adding that 3,000 people would attend, there was no set agenda,
        and participants would raise the issues they wanted to discuss.
        
        It was not immediately clear whether the closure of high
        schools for girls would be discussed, or whether women would
        take part in the gathering.
        
        Three civil society groups held a news conference in Kabul
        on Tuesday, saying they supported the idea of a gathering, but
        that civil society members and women needed to be included.
        
        "Any decision about the people of Afghanistan, especially
        women, in the absence of women, will be an injustice," they
        said.
        
        Since taking over in August, the Taliban have placed more
        restrictions on women, including rules requiring them to cover
        their faces and to take male chaperones when travelling.
        
        Key ministerial roles in the all-male government are held on
        an acting basis by Taliban members and the group has ruled out
        holding elections.
        
        Foreign governments have not formally recognised the Taliban
        administration.
        
        Many Western officials say it needs to change course on
        women's rights and deliver an inclusive government to receive
        recognition and for the international community to unwind
        sanctions that are severely hampering the economy.