Afghan woman TV anchor barred from working by Taliban days after promising ‘equal rights’

Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, August 20

Ever since the Taliban took over Afghanistan after the elopement of former President Ashraf Ghani, concerns have been raised about women’s safety all over the world.

The Taliban, being fundamentalistic, have claimed that the women in the country will be provided rights adhering to Islamic Sharia law.

They also said that women will be allowed to go to work and access education. However, recent incidents in the country prove otherwise.

A TV anchor of a state news channel Shabnam Khan Dawran claimed that she was barred by the Taliban from entering her office days after the group officially promised rights for women to work.

Taliban didn’t allow my ex-colleague here in @TOLOnews and famous anchor of the State-owned @rtapashto Shabnam Dawran to start her work today.
” Despite wearing a hijab & carrying correct ID, I was told by Taliban: The regime has changed. Go home”#Afghanistan #Talban pic.twitter.com/rXK7LWvddX

— Miraqa Popal (@MiraqaPopal) August 18, 2021

Wearing a hijab and showing her office card, well-known news anchor Shabnam Dawran said “our lives are under threat” in the clip that is viral on social media.

Under the Taliban’s regime from 1996 to 2001, women were excluded from public life, girls could not attend school, entertainment was banned and brutal punishments were imposed.

In a press conference, Taliban’s spokesman Zabibullah Mujahid had said that women will play an active role in the society under Islamic Sharia law.