UN special rapporteur urges against normalizing relations with Taliban — Dawn

Regarding the situation in Afghanistan, UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett called on states not to normalize relations with the Taliban until the movement reverses its repressive policies and demonstrates verifiable improvements in the human rights situation. As Dawn reports, Bennett told the UN General Assembly that five years after seizing power, the Taliban had shown no willingness to end systematic human rights violations and had instead tightened restrictions, particularly on women and girls.

Restrictions on women’s rights

According to Bennett, recent Taliban decrees have further weakened women’s rights, contributed to violence against them, and made it virtually impossible for women to leave abusive relationships. He also noted that the Taliban regime had permitted child marriages.

The special rapporteur’s report documented cases of arbitrary detention, torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings in Afghanistan. It also addressed restrictions on freedom of expression, the exclusion of persons with disabilities, and discrimination against or persecution of ethnic, religious, linguistic, and other marginalized minorities.

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Pakistan’s security claims

During an interactive dialogue of the UN Human Rights Council on Afghanistan, Pakistan’s representative Muhammad Jawad Ajmal said that more than 4,700 Pakistanis had been killed over the past three years in attacks that Islamabad claims were carried out from Afghan territory.

Ajmal accused the Taliban of maintaining close ties with terrorist organizations. According to him, such groups operate freely on Afghan territory with the support of external forces targeting Pakistan and other neighboring countries. He also said that the Taliban had not publicly condemned these groups, which, in the Pakistani representative’s view, indicated its involvement and support.

The Pakistani diplomat also stated that restrictions on women and girls contradict the Taliban’s international commitments, Islamic law, traditions, and the principles of the Muslim faith. He referred to the Islamabad Declaration adopted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation at a ministerial conference on women in July.