Ex-Afghan legislator Mariam Solaimankhil calls Taliban 'proxy of Pakistan'
Feb 24, 2022
London [UK], February 25 : Former woman Afghan MP, Mariam Solaimankhil, representing Kuchis and Nomads said that the Taliban is a "proxy of Pakistan" and they do not represent any particular ethnicity or locality in Afghanistan.
Speaking at a webinar on Monday by The Open Forum webinar in London discussing the "Prospect and possibility of engaging with the Taliban on Afghan women rights," she said, "Taliban is proxy of Pakistan," and The Taliban don't represent any particular ethnicity or locality in Afghanistan, they are more of an ideology. They represent an extremist violent ideology that was grown out of madrasas in Pakistan."
Crystal Bayat, an author and Afghan human rights activist who was marching through the streets of Kabul, post 15th August take-over, wrapped up in the flag of Afghanistan, raising her voice against the Taliban, representing millions of women and men who dared not come out, will be etched in the minds of people for decades to come.
Speaking at the event, she recalled how her father asked her to "come back" from the protest as the Taliban might kill her. Bayat faced violence, but she continued to protest.
This event was moderated by Mina Sharif, a media consultant who has worked at the grass-root level in Afghanistan.
"Although Afghan women are such a hot topic everyone likes to talk about us - no one likes to talk with us and that's what I enjoyed most today," said Mina, who lives in Canada now.
Mina ended the event in the hope that one day, all the women on the forum including her would be able to have conversations like these from within Afghanistan.
At the moment all agreed Afghanistan remains unsafe for women.
