A group of 50 religious scholars from Kabul province met with the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), Mawlavi Haibatullah Akhundzada, in Kandahar to discuss problems faced by Kabul residents and women’s rights issues.

The meeting took place at the request of the leader of the IEA.

Religious scholars have asked the supreme leader to pay special attention to education and to make changes in the curriculum if necessary.

The scholars also discussed women’s rights within the framework of Islamic Sharia and the issue of girls’ education. The supreme leader assured the religious scholars that the problems of the capital will be taken care of.

“The main purpose of this meeting was to solve the problems of the capital city and to convey his orders to the people from the pulpit of mosques and through scholars,” said Nada Mohammad Nadim, governor of Kabul.

Scholars said they addressed the issue of women’s problems, and respecting women’s rights within the framework of Islam, and the revision of school curriculum.

“For the supreme leader, there is no difference between mujahid and non-mujahid, and everyone has equal rights,” said Abdul Hamid Hamasi, a religious scholar.

More than 113,000 tons of dried fruits and medicinal plants have been exported from Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province over the past 12 months, Kandahar Chamber of Commerce and Industries officials said, adding that this generated $308 million in revenue.

“We faced some troubles in exporting due to the political developments, but we continued to export in good quality. Thanks God Islamic Emirate officials have not created any problems for us,” said Mohammad Dawood Qaderi, head of Kandahar Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

He said that they gave advice to IEA authorities on improving exports, which they accepted.

According to the official, figs have been the biggest export this year.

Meanwhile, traders also said that the export sector in Kandahar has improved.

“Thanks God, trade in dried fruits is going well. The routes are secure now,” said Mir Hamza, a dried fruits trader.

He called for an agreement with countries that would allow for barter deals.

Some traders, however, said that they were unable to collect their exchanged items or their money due to sanctions.

Noor Ali, a dried fruits trader, said that the level of exports was good this year, but traders were unable to collect their money due to international banking restrictions.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) government has acknowledged that IEA forces have clashed with Pakistani forces in Kandahar’s Spin Boldak district.

IEA spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the reports on Thursday and blamed the Pakistani military for starting the clashes.

“There was a problem with Pakistani guards locally in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar.

“Unfortunately, the first shot was fired by Pakistani guards,” Mujahid wrote on his Twitter page.

“The situation is under control and we are investigating why this happened,” he said.

At least two people were killed in the incident, according to health officials and local officials.

Following the incident, about 90 students, from Dr Mamoon Tahiri Institute of Health Sciences, came forward to donate blood for the wounded.

Officials from the institute meanwhile said that at least two civilians were killed and about 30 others were wounded in the clashes.