Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), says he met the Islamic Emirate leaders in Kabul and Kandahar to call for the resumption of education for girls beyond primary school.

Egeland said that with each passing year, thousands of female teachers and health workers are leaving the labour market, while no new graduates are entering to replace them.

He described the situation as a serious concern for Afghanistan and said the NRC would continue working for the resumption of education for women and girls at all levels, in accordance with Afghan traditions.

Egeland also questioned the absence of diplomats and international envoys from Afghanistan, saying they should be present in the country and work alongside humanitarian organizations to advance women’s rights.

“You cannot do that from abroad,” he said.

Former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad says the September 11 attacks fundamentally changed U.S. national strategy, making the fight against terrorism its central focus for years.

In a post marking the anniversary of the attacks, Khalilzad said the U.S. suffered significant losses during the subsequent war on terror, including service members who were killed or sustained life-changing injuries.

He said the U.S. achieved major successes in the fight against terrorism, including reducing al-Qaida to the point of near-eradication.

Khalilzad, however, said the intense phase of the war on terror has receded and Washington now needs to broaden its focus to address emerging global challenges.

He pointed to China’s rise, the rapid development of artificial intelligence, and uncertainties involving Europe, Russia, India and the wider Middle East as key challenges shaping the new era.

Khalilzad warned that major powers have historically remained focused on their “last war” while failing to prepare for emerging threats and conflicts.

He said the U.S. should avoid repeating that mistake while maintaining the necessary measures to ensure that the war on terror remains in the past.

Sajjad Haider Khan, spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says there is no government decision to return all Afghan students from Pakistan.

Khan said Afghan students who are enrolled in valid degree programmes and hold valid visas can remain in Pakistan and complete their education.

He added that students who are not registered at a university or do not hold valid visas have been instructed to return to Afghanistan.

The Pakistani official said students studying in foreign countries are expected to have both valid enrollment and valid visas for the purpose of their stay, stressing that both are necessary.

This comes after the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council recently decided to expel Afghan medical students from the country and instructed universities not to enroll new students.