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UNHRC chief says he is ‘deeply concerned about worsening’ situation in Afghanistan
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said at the 53rd meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is worrying and the restrictions on women are increasing day by day.
Türk criticized the caretaker government and said that talks are ongoing with the ruling authorities of Afghanistan about removing these restrictions.
“I am deeply concerned about the worsening human rights situation in Afghanistan, the caretaker government of Afghanistan restricts human rights, especially the rights of women and girls. Now, our discussions with them are going on and our experts and lawyers are still there to deal with this issue,” said Türk.
At Monday’s meeting, the special rapporteur for human rights of the United Nations in Afghanistan Richard Bennett presented his report on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and said that pressure should be put on the Islamic Emirate to remove restrictions on women and to build an inclusive government.
“The education of girls and the activities of women in government offices are very important for the progress of the country and the future of Afghanistan. The caretaker government must adhere to all international obligations and create an inclusive government and respect all the rights of the Afghan people,” said Bennett.
Nasir Ahmad Andisheh, Afghanistan’s representative in Geneva, also said that over the past two decades, Afghan women and girls have made good achievements in the field of education and training as they worked in government and non-government offices and served their people and society.
Simultaneously, the representatives of some countries at the meeting emphasized that the issue of women and girls’ exclusion from work and education should be resolved through international institutions.
However, the Islamic Emirate does not consider holding such meetings without the presence of a representative of IEA to be effective and says that recently, international organizations have started publishing propaganda against the government.
IEA spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says Afghanistan is an Islamic country and has a traditional society, and the government cannot approve women’s rights according to western culture.
“We do not expect much from these meetings because the representative of the Islamic Emirate is not there to defend and make a fair judgment. Secondly, there is a difference of views. Afghanistan is an Islamic country and women’s rights are protected according to Islamic Sharia law,” said Mujahid.
Meanwhile, some of the other participants at the meeting emphasized the need for positive interaction with the IEA and said that their attention has swayed from Afghanistan and they are trying to solve the people’s problems, especially economic problems.
During Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, India and Russia issued a joint statement highlighting their close coordination on Afghanistan. Both sides appreciated the ongoing dialogue between their respective Security Councils and underscored the significance of the Moscow Format meetings in promoting regional stability.
The leaders welcomed counter-terrorism efforts targeting international terrorist groups, including ISIS, ISKP, and their affiliates, expressing confidence in a comprehensive and effective approach to combating terrorism in Afghanistan. They also stressed the urgent need to ensure uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
India and Russia have maintained close ties on regional security, particularly concerning developments in Afghanistan following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in 2021. The Moscow Format, a diplomatic platform including Afghanistan’s neighbors, has played a key role in facilitating dialogue on peace, stability, and counter-terrorism in the region.
Five civilians were killed and five others wounded in firing by Pakistani troops on Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province late on Friday, sources told Ariana News.
The attack comes two days after a new round of peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan reportedly ended without a breakthrough, though both sides agreed to continue their fragile ceasefire.
The recent talks in Saudi Arabia were the latest in a series of meetings hosted by Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia aimed at easing tensions after deadly clashes near the Durand Line in October. Dozens were killed in the clashes in October.
Islamabad claims that Afghanistan-based militants carried out the recent attacks in Pakistan. Kabul denies the allegations, saying it cannot be held responsible for security inside Pakistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said Afghan forces had responded to the recent Pakistani attacks.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.
Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.
This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.
The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.
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