Taliban stops women from studying abroad
The ban was extended to employees of the United Nations in April.
ISLAMABAD: The Taliban have prevented scores of female Afghan students from travelling to the United Arab Emirates for education, according to the chairman of a group that offered them scholarships.
“I am unable to express the disappointment I feel now as the Afghan female students, whom I had provided an educational scholarship...were unfortunately unable to reach Dubai airport,” Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, chairman of the Al Habtoor group, said Wednesday on Twitter.
He said he had provided an opportunity for the women to study in collaboration with the University of Dubai. But despite securing “university admissions, accommodations, transportation, health insurance, and an array of comprehensive services aimed at ensuring the utmost comfort and safety for the female students, our aspirations were crushed”.
Although the Taliban promised a more moderate rule than during their previous period in power in the 1990s, they have imposed harsh measures since seizing Afghanistan in August 2021 as US and NATO forces were pulling out after two decades of war. The ban was extended to employees of the United Nations in April.
Al Habtoor urged all involved parties to quickly assist the struggling students.
“This stands as a profound tragedy, a blow against the principles of humanity, education, equality, and justice,” he said.