'It's not Islamic!': Female Afghan journalist blasts Taliban over forced veiling

8 May 2022, 16:57

A female Afghan journalist has hit out at the Taliban, after the hardline group announced a new law forcing women in Afghanistan to wear the full-face veil.

A female Afghan journalist has hit out at the Taliban, after the hardline group announced a new law forcing women to wear the full-face veil.

Zarghuna Kargar, who works for the BBC as a world TV reporter, argued it is neither an Islamic requirement nor in line with Afghan culture.

Appearing on LBC she said: "This new restriction, especially fines or punishment for the male guardian, is very worrying for me as an Afghan woman.

"Domestic violence is very widespread within Afghanistan and this gives another power to the men to control women.

'Absolutely right' to send refugees to Rwanda

"It gives women no rights basically. All Afghan women have been wearing the scarf, they follow the Islamic code.

"I don't understand this full veil which is not part of Afghan culture, is not Islamic in my view. This has just come as a new restriction.

"They want to omit women from the public sphere and this is another part, sadly."

The Taliban seized Kabul, and other major Afghan cities, in a lighting campaign in August 2021 after US troops were pulled out.

They had ruled much of the restive country until 2001, when western intervention removed the extremists following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

After regaining control they implemented a number of measures restricting women's rights, including closing all secondary schools for girls in the country.

Speaking to the BBC Taliban spokesman Akif Muhajir said full veiling is "compulsory" in Islam, and was introduced on "the order of Allah".