Khalilzad: Pakistan Hosting Conference on women’s education to criticize Taliban Leader

Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, stated that Pakistan is using the current conference on “Girls’ Education in Islamic Communities” to shame the Taliban leader for imposing severe restrictions on women’s education.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that the conference is taking place on Saturday and Sunday, January 11 and 12, in Islamabad, focusing on promoting education for girls in Islamic communities.

On Saturday, Khalilzad posted on social media, describing the conference as a propaganda move in the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban. He argued that it was not driven by genuine concern for Afghanistan’s women.

“#Pakistan is organizing an Islamic conference on women’s education targeting #Afghanistan to embarrass the Taliban leader who has imposed severe limitations on women’s education. Obviously, this is not out of any sincere concern for Afghan women, but rather is a propaganda move as part of ongoing conflict with the Taliban,” Khalilzad said.

In a sarcastic remark aimed at the Taliban, Khalilzad stated, “Sometimes, even your enemy can do you a favor,” highlighting the irony of Pakistan’s efforts to address the issue.

Khalilzad emphasized that the Taliban’s strict ban on women’s education is un-Islamic, harmful to Afghanistan’s national interests, and a violation of human rights. He urged moderate Taliban members and other Afghans to stand against the wrong decisions made in Kandahar.

“But sometimes, even your enemy can end up doing you a favor. It is true that the Taliban leader’s draconian restriction on women’s education is un-Islamic, harmful to the country’s national interest, and a violation of human rights. When will the sensible elements of the Taliban and other Afghans stand up against the ill-guided decisions from Kandahar? Ultimately, it falls on the Afghans to solve this problem,” he added.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Pakistan’s Minister of Education, announced that Afghan Taliban representatives have been invited to attend the conference. He emphasized that Islamic teachings do not condone banning women’s education and expressed hope for the Taliban’s participation.

The plight of Afghan girls has become a global concern as they face severe restrictions under Taliban rule. Education beyond the sixth grade has been banned, depriving millions of girls of their fundamental right to learn and grow, further pushing them into cycles of poverty and dependency.

Addressing the issue requires sustained international pressure on the Taliban to lift these restrictions. Global communities must advocate for Afghan girls’ education, providing alternative pathways for learning and supporting grassroots efforts to empower young women in Afghanistan.

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