A senior Taliban figure has urged the group's leader to abolish the education bans imposed on Afghan women and girls, asserting that there are "no excuses" for such policies. Sher Abbas Stanikzai, the political deputy at the Foreign Ministry, made these comments during a speech on Saturday in southeastern Khost province, marking a rare public dissent against the group's current stance on education.

In his address at a religious school ceremony, Stanikzai emphasized that there should be no reason to deny education to women and girls, stating, "just as there was no justification for it in the past, there shouldn't be one at all." This call comes as the Taliban has continued to bar females from education beyond sixth grade, with reports indicating the cessation of medical training for women. In Afghanistan, only female doctors and health professionals are allowed to provide medical care to women and girls, yet the authorities have yet to confirm the cessation of medical training courses.

"We call on the leadership again to open the doors of education," Stanikzai stated in a video shared on the social platform X. He added, "We are committing an injustice against 20 million people out of a population of 40 million, depriving them of all their rights. This is not in Islamic law, but our personal choice or nature." Having previously served as the Taliban's head negotiator during discussions that led to the withdrawal of foreign troops, Stanikzai's latest remarks represent a significant shift, as they directly appeal for reform to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

An analyst with Crisis Group’s South Asia program, Ibraheem Bahiss, noted that while Stanikzai has previously advocated for girls’ education, this statement is more consequential, as it questions the legitimacy of the current policies.

Internationally, the situation has drawn attention. Earlier this month, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai called for Muslim leaders to challenge the Taliban on their restrictive policies regarding women and girls' education at a conference hosted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Muslim World League.

The UN reached a conclusion that gaining recognition for the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan is nearly impossible while stringent bans on female education and employment persist. Currently, no country recognizes the Taliban, although nations such as CNN reported that Russia has been enhancing diplomatic ties with them. Similarly, India has shown interest in establishing relations, highlighted by a recent diplomatic meeting in Dubai.

For more detailed information, see the full articles on SCMP and CNN.