A new charity, the Rahmanullah Gurbaz Welfare Foundation, has been officially inaugurated in Kabul. The initiative was established by Rahmanullah Gurbaz, a member of Afghanistan’s national cricket team.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Gurbaz said the foundation aims to expand access to education and healthcare services while also creating employment opportunities for Afghans. He stressed that meaningful progress in the country depends on collective effort and shared responsibility.

“The core purpose of this foundation is to promote education,” he said. “An educated person is enlightened, while someone deprived of education is like a person without sight.”

Participants at the event also underscored the importance of investing in education as a pathway to national development. Mujib-ur-Rahman Baheer, head of Ariana News, welcomed the initiative and called for greater focus on learning and academic advancement across the country.

Meanwhile, Ahmadullah Wasiq, head of the General Directorate of Physical Education and Sports, emphasized that such initiatives must be genuine and transparent, warning that they should not serve symbolic purposes or personal interests but instead deliver real benefits to the public.

The launch comes at a time when Afghanistan continues to grapple with economic hardship and overlapping crises, including poverty, natural disasters, and the return of migrants—factors that have significantly increased the need for sustained humanitarian support.

Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan, said in recent remarks that the continuation of the ban on girls’ education and the ongoing closure of schools and universities to them will weaken national capacity, increase severe need, and lead Afghanistan toward dependence on foreign countries.

Karzai said in a statement: “While I consider universal education vital, I once again emphasize that the doors of schools and universities must be opened to girls as soon as possible. By providing opportunities for education and learning to young people—both girls and boys—the country’s problems and needs can be resolved by the capable hands of its own children, and Afghanistan can be freed from external dependence.”

Karzai made these remarks in response to a recent report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). According to the report, by 2030 Afghanistan will face a shortage of more than 20,000 teachers and over 5,000 female healthcare workers, and the number of girls deprived of education will exceed two million.

Richard Lindsay, the British Special Representative for Afghanistan, has announced that strengthening and expanding relations between London and Kabul depends on concrete actions by the authorities of the Islamic Emirate.

Lindsay stressed in a press conference in Kabul that Britain wants to develop bilateral relations with Afghanistan, but this process will not be possible without practical steps by the Afghan rulers.

He said that a stronger relationship would help Afghanistan’s future prosperity.

The British diplomat also welcomed the recent talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan and expressed hope that these efforts would lead to a reduction in tensions between the two countries. He encouraged the sides to return to dialogue and diplomacy.

Lindsay warned that the continued closure of border crossings has disrupted the process of humanitarian assistance. According to him, about one million people in the border areas are in urgent need of assistance. He added that Britain has allocated 150 million pounds this year to support the health, food and education sectors in Afghanistan.

He also emphasized the importance of the rights of women and girls and said that without their participation, Afghanistan’s economic growth will not be possible.

Lindsay noted that Britain has resettled more than 38,000 Afghan citizens since 2021, but there are currently no plans to reopen the Afghan embassy in London.