Afghanistan: Politicians, residents call for inclusion of women, ethnic groups in national gathering

Kabul [Afghanistan], June 29 : Many politicians and residents have asked the Taliban to invite women as well as representatives from all Afghan ethnic groups for the gathering (Loya Jirga) of Islamic scholars to be held today.
"A decision and consultation must be taken to solve the problems and involve the people in the government to determine their fate," said Sayed Ishaq Gilani, leader of the Afghan National Solidarity Movement, reported Tolo News.
Several clerics and civil rights activists on Tuesday said that the gathering of Islamic scholars should be inclusive.
"One of the demands is that the decisions should be taken for the creation of an inclusive government that represents different ethnic groups," said Sayed Javad Hosseini, a political analyst.
Details of the gathering have not yet been made public, but sources say the reopening of girls' schools will be one of the issues raised at the event, reported Tolo News.
Sources said the gathering will take place at the Loya Jirga Hall in Kabul and around 3,000 people from all provinces of Afghanistan will attend.
Eleven months after the re-establishment of the Taliban in the country, this is the first nationwide gathering of Islamic clerics in the country, reported Tolo News.
The Taliban's spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said that the Islamic Emirate's leadership decided to hold the gathering following the call of many clerics to convene such a gathering.
"Holding such a gathering in the current situation will be very important and fundamental for the people of Afghanistan in finding a basic solution," said Sayed Haroon Hashemi, a political analyst.
According to sources, there won't be any television coverage of the event, only radio. Even on Tuesday, media outlets were not allowed to report on the preparation for the gathering, reported Tolo News.
The participants at a gathering on Tuesday called women's inclusion in the Loya Jirga "important" and said that the gathering will be meaningless if women were not included.
In Islam "women are provided with their basic rights. The male and female clerics have the vital role to announce awareness of women's rights through mosques so women can be provided with their rights," said Bibi Amri, a university instructor.
"If in this gathering various sectors including clerics and elites are not consulted, it will bring a situation that will not be tolerated by the people," said Mohammad Sarwar Sarwari, a member of Nuhzat-e-Ulema of Afghanistan.
One of the main demands of the international community is the formation of an inclusive government. Moreover, the recognition of the current Afghan government is linked to upholding human rights and women's rights in the country.