The Latest: Taliban to female Kabul city workers: Stay home
The interim mayor of Afghanistan’s capital says many female city employees have been ordered to stay home by the country’s new Taliban rulers
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.KABUL, Afghanistan — The interim mayor of Afghanistan’s capital says many female city employees have been ordered to stay home by the country’s new Taliban rulers.
Hamdullah Namony told reporters Sunday that only women who could not be replaced by men have been permitted to report to work. He says this includes skilled workers in the design and engineering departments as well as female attendants of public toilets for women.
Namony’s comments were another sign that the Taliban are enforcing their harsh interpretation of Islam, including restrictions on women in public life, despite their initial promises of tolerance and inclusion. In their previous rule in the 1990s, the Taliban had barred girls and women from schools and jobs.
The mayor says a final decision about female employees in Kabul municipal departments is still pending, and that they would draw their salaries in the meantime.
He says that before the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan last month, just under one-third of close to 3,000 city employees were women who worked in all departments.
___
MORE ON AFGHANISTAN:
— Fearful US residents in Afghanistan hiding out from Taliban
— Afghan survivors of errant US drone strike seek probe
— Taliban replace ministry for women with ‘virtue’ authorities
— Pentagon reverses itself, calls deadly Kabul strike an error
___
HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
___
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s prime minister says he has “initiated a dialogue” with the Taliban to prod them to form an inclusive government that would ensure peace and stability not only in Afghanistan but also in the region.
Imran Khan tweeted on Saturday that he took the initiative after his meetings this week in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, with leaders of countries neighboring Afghanistan.
The Taliban last week announced an all-male interim government that includes no women or members of Afghanistan’s minorities — contrary to their earlier pledges on inclusivity. They have also since moved to curb women’s rights, harking back to their harsh rule when they were in power in the 1990s.
Khan says he had detailed discussions with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s meeting in Dushanbe. The economic and security group is made up of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan
“After meetings in Dushanbe with leaders of Afghanistan’s neighbors and especially a lengthy discussion with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon, I have initiated a dialogue with the Taliban for an inclusive Afghan govt to include Tajiks, Hazaras & Uzbeks” Khan said in the tweet.
He said “After 40 years of conflict, this inclusivity will ensure peace and a stable Afghanistan, which is in the interest not only of Afghanistan but the region as well.”
Khan did not say what form his dialogue would take or elaborate on his plans.