After the initial defiance of the orders, the Taliban government started enforcing the order which led to most female anchors covering their faces on Sunday news.
The new Taliban government, on Thursday, ordered all-female news anchors in the country to cover their faces while on air, keeping all the promises of a considerate rule on the bay. This didn’t come as surprise to most people as earlier in May, a decree was issued for women to cover up head to toe only revealing their eyes.
After the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice took a hardline shift, the defiance of a day or two turned into compliance as it was made clear that the policy was “final and non-negotiable”.
“It is just an outside culture imposed on us forcing us to wear a mask and that can create a problem for us while presenting our programmes,” a TV news Anchor for TOLO News, said.
In another account, a local media person confirmed that his station had received the order last week but they were forced to comply on Sunday after it was made sure that it was not up for discussion.
Taliban seized power in August last year after American troops left Afghanistan, they came with the promise that this time it was going to be a moderate government. But all speculations were proved wrong as time passed.
The new Taliban government has no women in the power positions, and women who were in the official positions in various departments were sacked. Girls were not given entry at school gates. A recent decree announced that women should be covered in clothes head to toe only revealing eyes and they should not step out of their homes unless it is very necessary.
Western Response:
The United States government has frozen billions of dollars of aid in protest of Taliban government policies against minorities and women. The Biden government has condemned the Taliban rulers and asked them to follow human rights to get the aid flowing.
European countries and the UN have also criticized the human rights violations in Afghanistan.
Crisis in Afghanistan:
Afghanistan has been facing an economic crisis for a long time but a regime change and aid cutoff has exacerbated the condition. Millions of people are unemployed. The government’s employees are not receiving their salaries. Food prices have gone very high.
A big population is facing acute hunger and malnutrition.
Various think tanks and influential people around the world have given the call to aid Afghanistan people. World leaders must send help to the Afghanistani people as deteriorating living standard is the hotbed for terrorist organizations.
Indian aid to Afghanistan:
The Indian government has come to the aid of the Afghanistani people. In February Indian government sent 2500 MT Of wheat as a humanitarian and for Afghanistan. This shipment was a part of the commitment made by the government of India to supply 50,000 MT of wheat for the people of Afghanistan.
The shipments will be handed over to the United Nations World Food Programme as there was no mention of the Taliban because the Indian government has not recognised the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan.
Afghanistan and its future:
After 20 years of modernity and its human-centric values, Afghanistan has taken a turn from the old tribal ways of life. It is all done in the name of saving Islam. Why it is so difficult for fundamentalists to think that Islam can coexist with modernity. Saudi Arabia one of the orthodox countries has started giving more rights to their women citizens, UAE has turned into a global city which maintains its culture without losing the opportunities modernity offers to humans.
It is in the long-term interest of rulers to work in the interest of the people. The Taliban government must respect human rights because the archaic ways won’t bring wealth for their nation and it’s hard to control people when they are hungry and lives of their children are at stake.
Edited By : Aaradhana Singh
Read More – Following a Taliban rule for female newsreaders, male anchors wear masks on air.
