Taliban-led govt to hold religious scholars' meet; issue of women's rights likely to feature

Kabul [Afghanistan], February 5 : The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan is set to hold a meeting of religious scholars to discuss several issues including governance and women's rights, local media said on Saturday.
The gathering would be convened in the near future TOLOnews reported but didn't give any specific date for the meeting.
The media reports said it is also expected that women's education and their right to work outside the home would be discussed at the meeting.
"A gathering, with the participation of the country's prominent Islamic scholars, will be held to discuss various matters, including ensuring good governance, stabilizing the economy, and creating job opportunities among other government affairs," said Bilal Karimi, the deputy spokesperson of the Taliban-led administration.
The Taliban has said that it has no objection to education for women and will decide the right of women and girls to work within the Islamic law framework.
European Parliament's Vice President Heidi Hautala said countries in the 27 member bloc do not want to be in the situation of recognizing the current Afghan government before changes have been made in the lives of Afghan women.
"We need to be very, very careful so that we do not end up in the situation where important countries including the European Union member states and the EU as such will give recognition to the Taliban and things just continue as they are today... millions and millions of women are kept inside their homes," said Hautala.
The EU official made her remarks during the European Parliament's two-day summit on Afghan women on February 1-2.