Afghan girls’ school ban un-Islamic, says Imran

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has suggested that women can "assert their rights" in Afghanistan, adding preventing women from accessing education in neighbouring Afghanistan would be un-Islamic.

In an interview with the BBC, Khan laid out the conditions that would need to be met for Pakistan to formally recognise the new Taliban government. He called for the leadership to be inclusive and to respect human rights. Khan also said Afghanistan should not be used to house terrorists who could threaten Pakistan’s security. Pakistan's leader said he believed girls would soon be able to attend schools. "The statements they have made since they came to power have been very encouraging," he told BBC's John Simpson. "I think they will allow women to go to schools," he said. "The idea that women should not be educated is just not Islamic. It has nothing to do with religion."

When pressed on whether the Taliban would realistically meet his criteria for formal recognition, Khan repeatedly called on the international community to give the group more time. "It's just too early to say anything," he said, adding that he expected Afghan women to eventually "assert their rights".

The prime minister said that Pakistan would make a decision on whether to formally recognise the Taliban government alongside other neighbouring states. "All neighbours will get together and see how they progress," he said. "Whether to recognise them or not will be a collective decision." He also called on the hardline group to form an inclusive government, warning that a failure to do so could see the country descend into civil war.

"If they do not include all the factions, sooner or later they will have a civil war," he said. "That would mean an unstable, chaotic, Afghanistan and an ideal place for terrorists. That is a worry".