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OIC to send team of scholars to Afghanistan
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said on Thursday it will send a team of scholars to Afghanistan for dialogue on aspects related to Islam’s position on women’s education and work.
“The OIC will continue its efforts and dialogue with the concerned authorities in Afghanistan and, in coordination with the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), will send an expanded team of scholars to Afghanistan for dialogue on aspects related to Islam’s position on women’s education and work,” OIC Secretary General Hussain Ibrahim Taha said while speaking at a meeting of the council of foreign ministers of OIC in Mauritania.
He said that his special envoy during his visit to Afghanistan conveyed the message of the OIC and its Member States regarding their commitment to support Afghanistan on the humanitarian level and the importance of reviewing the recent decisions taken by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) regarding girls’ education, women’s work, and the need to make more efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
“The de facto authorities still demand that they be given some time to review the academic curricula and the safe environment for girls’ education. In this regard, we affirm the total commitment of the OIC to support the right of women in Afghanistan to education and work in line with the principles of Islam,” Taha said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, said the OIC should contribute to drawing up a clear pathway for peace in Afghanistan to encourage the IEA to fulfill the earlier promises; to fully respect human rights, particularly women rights; promote political inclusivity; and eliminate the terrorist threat.
This comes as IEA’s Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, in a recent meeting with a visiting delegation of scholars from the UAE, has emphasized that the ban on education for girls above sixth grade is not permanent.
A 20-year-old Afghan migrant has been arrested in Germany over the alleged sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl inside a school toilet in the city of Koblenz.
According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on April 28 after the suspect and another man allegedly entered the school premises. Investigators say the suspect cornered the girl in the restroom while a second 19-year-old man allegedly restrained her during the attack.
The girl reportedly told her older sister about the incident two days later. Her family then located the suspect at a nearby residence and informed police.
German authorities arrested the suspect on May 4. He remains in pre-trial detention and has been charged with committing sexual acts against a child on school grounds.
The Koblenz prosecutor’s office confirmed the suspect’s Afghan nationality to German broadcaster SWR. Prosecutors also stated that the man had previously been under investigation in another alleged sexual offence case. He had earlier been fined for possessing a blank-firing pistol without a licence.
Police said the second suspect is still being investigated as a suspected accomplice and remains at large.
Authorities have not yet clarified how the two men allegedly gained access to the school property.
Matiul Haq Khalis, Director General of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), left for Baku on Friday at the head of an official delegation to participate in the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), a major international gathering focused on sustainable urban development and environmental challenges.
The forum, organized by UN-Habitat, is scheduled to take place from May 17 to 22 in the Azerbaijani capital under the theme “Housing for All: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.”
According to Afghan officials, the delegation will participate in a series of technical meetings and discussions on climate change, environmental protection in urban areas, sustainable development, waste management, green cities, air pollution control and strengthening urban resilience.
The World Urban Forum is regarded as one of the world’s leading platforms on urbanization and environmental policy, bringing together government officials, mayors, international organizations, climate experts and development institutions from across the globe.
On the sidelines of the event, Khalis and accompanying officials are also expected to meet with representatives of international organizations, donor agencies and foreign governments to discuss environmental cooperation, technical support and future joint initiatives.
Afghanistan’s environmental authority described participation in the forum as an important opportunity to expand international engagement, exchange experiences and seek practical solutions to the country’s growing environmental and urban challenges.
The visit comes as Afghanistan faces increasing concerns over climate-related risks, rapid urbanization, air pollution and environmental degradation, issues that officials say require broader regional and international cooperation.
Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), told a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday that Afghanistan remains a major focus for Washington in terms of terrorist activity and regional security threats.
Speaking during a hearing before lawmakers, Cooper said Afghanistan continues to be “on the forefront” of U.S. monitoring efforts regarding militant groups.
“Afghanistan remains on the forefront of what we are watching in terms of terrorist activity,” he told the committee.
The CENTCOM commander added that the United States is working closely with regional partners to contain and suppress potential threats emerging from Afghanistan.
The remarks come as U.S. officials continue to express concerns over the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of American forces from the country in 2021.
The Islamic Emirate, however, has denied presence of militant groups in Afghanistan, emphasizing that it will not allow Afghan soil to be used against any other country.
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