Taliban Conditionally Agree To Allow Afghan Girls To Study In Pakistan
New Age Islam News Bureau
26January 2025
• Taliban Conditionally Agree To Allow Afghan Girls To Study In Pakistan
• A Heartfelt Farewell: Muslim Family Performs Last Rites of 90-Year-Old Hindu Woman in Karnataka
• Chairperson of the Qatar Businesswomen Forum Ibtihaj Al Ahmadani Inaugurates ‘Arabian Women Exhibition’
• ‘My Heart Is Split In Two’: The Women Waiting To Return To Northern Gaza
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/taliban-afghan-girls-study-pakistan/d/134435
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Taliban conditionally agree to allow Afghan girls to study in Pakistan
By Ayaz Gul
January 25, 2025
FILE - Female Afghan students stand in a queue after they arrive for entrance exams at Kabul University in Kabul on Oct. 13, 2022. After the hardline Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, they banned girls’ education past the sixth grade.
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ISLAMABAD — Taliban authorities in Afghanistan reportedly have agreed to allow female students to pursue higher education in Pakistan, provided that their male guardians also are granted visas to accompany them, according to officials privy to the understanding.
The revelation comes as hundreds of Afghan students took entrance examinations on Saturday to secure admission to graduate, postgraduate and Ph.D. programs in Pakistani universities.
Officials reported that Afghan refugees living in Pakistan attended designated centers in the cities of Peshawar and Quetta to take their exams, while students in Afghanistan are scheduled to participate online over the next few days.
Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan's special envoy for Afghanistan, announced in the lead-up to the tests that nearly 21,000 Afghan candidates, including more than 5,000 females, had submitted their applications for the upcoming summer academic sessions. His office reported “a significant turnout” of Afghan students at the designated test centers on Saturday but did not provide specific numbers.
The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan is conducting entrance tests to select up to 2,000 Afghan students, with one-third of the selected candidates being female.
Pakistan expressed its "profound gratitude" to the Kabul government “for agreeing to allow successful female candidates to pursue their education, provided that their mahrams [chaperones] are granted visas to accompany them,” said a government official in Islamabad, requesting anonymity due to a lack of authorization to discuss the matter publicly with the media.
The official stated that visas would be issued to chaperones “to allow them to accompany female students, as mandated by Afghan law,” to study in Pakistani institutions.
The Taliban did not immediately comment on Pakistani assertions that they would let Afghan girls pursue higher education in the neighboring country.
Pakistan offers fully funded scholarships to thousands of students from its war-ravaged, poverty-stricken neighbor. The program for female students was halted, however, after the hardline Taliban regained power in 2021 and banned girls’ education past the sixth grade. They also prohibited Afghan women from traveling or flying without a chaperone.
The Higher Education Commission website states that the scholarship program is designed to foster stronger ties with Afghanistan by providing high-quality education to Afghan students in diverse fields, including medicine, engineering, agriculture, management and computer science.
The entrance examinations for Afghan students come amid bilateral tensions that have escalated lately over allegations that anti-Pakistan armed groups are using Afghan territory to launch cross-border terrorist attacks. The Taliban deny claims of allowing or sheltering foreign militants that threaten neighboring countries.
After assuming office last month, Sadiq visited Afghanistan, where he held extensive talks with Taliban leaders on ways to stabilize bilateral political, security and trade cooperation. He described his meetings with de facto Afghan officials as productive but did not elaborate.
The envoy, while addressing a gathering of Afghan and Pakistani civil society and trade representatives in Islamabad this week, said the two countries are collaborating closely to reduce tensions and enhance economic ties and trade. In addition, he said they are trying to strengthen people-to-people connections through cooperation in education and other sectors.
Since sweeping back to power 3½ years ago, the Taliban have instituted sweeping restrictions on Afghan women, barring most of them from seeking public and private sector employment and requiring they cover their faces in public.
The United Nations has labeled the curbs as “gender apartheid” and persistently demanded their reversal. The Taliban defend their governance as being in line with Islamic law, or Sharia, and Afghan culture, rejecting criticism and calls for reversing their policies.
Source: Www.Voanews.Com
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A Heartfelt Farewell: Muslim Family Performs Last Rites of 90-Year-Old Hindu Woman in Karnataka
January 25, 2025
The Times of India, Representational Image
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In a heartwarming display of communal harmony, a Muslim family in Mallar village, Udupi district, took the initiative to perform the final rites of Janaki Poojari, a 90-year-old Hindu woman who passed away on January 21, 2025. The family ensured her son, Shekhar Vittal, was brought from Mumbai to participate in the ceremonies conducted according to Hindu customs. This act of kindness has been widely praised as a powerful example of interfaith cooperation amidst rising communal tensions in India.
Janaki Poojari had been living with the family of Rafeeq Abdul Khader for the past ten years. Following her passing, Rafeeq and his family felt it was their duty to honour her memory by conducting her last rites in accordance with Hindu traditions. They coordinated with Janaki’s son to ensure he could attend the ceremonies at Rudra Bhumi in Kaup. Rafeeq shared that Janaki was like a family member: “She was with us as a family member since I was young.” Her son had visited her just a week prior when she was critically ill, and Rafeeq promptly informed him after her passing.
This event occurs against a backdrop of increasing communal tensions across India. However, it stands as a beacon of hope and illustrates that interfaith cooperation is alive and well. Similar instances have been reported nationwide, such as the recent ‘Bandhutva’ celebration in Mangaluru, which aimed to promote interfaith harmony. These gatherings highlight the importance of solidarity across religious lines, fostering an environment where communities can come together despite societal divides.
The local community has responded with overwhelming support for Rafeeq’s family. Neighbours and local leaders expressed admiration for their actions during the last rites, emphasising that such gestures are essential for maintaining peace and harmony. Ibrahim, a neighbour, and Kaup town municipality president HarinakshiDevadiga were present during the ceremonies, reinforcing community ties. Ramesh Poojary, a friend of Rafeeq’s family, noted that Janaki’s granddaughter also participated in the last rites, further uniting both families in their shared grief.
This incident serves as an important reminder of the potential for unity amidst diversity. Social activists have pointed out that such acts of kindness can inspire broader movements towards understanding and cooperation among different faiths. By showcasing these positive interactions, communities can work towards dismantling stereotypes and fostering a spirit of coexistence.
This inspiring story exemplifies The Logical Indian’s commitment to promoting empathy and coexistence. It underscores how acts of kindness can bridge religious divides and foster peace within society. As we reflect on this event, we encourage our readers to consider: What steps can we take to nurture similar acts of compassion in our communities? Your thoughts could inspire others to embrace diversity and promote harmony in our increasingly fragmented world.
Source: Www.India.Com
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Chairperson of the Qatar Business women Forum Ibtihaj Al AhmadaniInaugurates ‘Arabian Women Exhibition’
26 Jan 2025
QC board member and Chairperson of the Qatar Businesswomen Forum Ibtihaj Al Ahmadani during the inauguration of the exhibition.
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Doha, Qatar: Qatar Chamber board member and Chairperson of the Qatar Businesswomen Forum Ibtihaj Al Ahmadani inaugurated yesterday, the 12th edition of the “Arabian Woman Exhibition” at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC). The ceremony was attended by leading businesswomen and entrepreneurs from Qatar and other countries, along with Tamader Al Marri, director of Vogue Event Company, the exhibition’s organising company.
The exhibition, which will run until Friday January 31 under the sponsorship of the Qatari Businesswomen Forum (QBWF), features 200 domestic and foreign booths, showcasing the works of more than 140 notable female entrepreneurs from Qatar.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, she highlighted the significant successes and developments the exhibition has achieved year after year in terms of organisation, exhibitors, and showcased items. She emphasised that it has become an important platform bringing together Qatari designers and their counterparts from Gulf, Arab, and foreign countries to showcase their latest innovations and designs in fashion and garments. She called on businesswomen participating in the exhibition to promote fruitful cooperation between them for the benefit of this important industry.
She noted that the exhibition, which is being held in its twelfth consecutive session, has become a significant platform for showcasing the role of women and their achievements, as well as for exchanging experiences in the fields of design, innovation, and women’s accessories.
Further, she pointed out that the exhibition, which is being held for the twelfth consecutive session, has become an important platform for showcasing the role of women and their achievements, while also facilitating the exchange of experiences in design, innovation, and women’s accessories. Al Ahmadani emphasized the QBWF’s commitment to empowering women as a fundamental pillar of achieving sustainable development. She highlighted that Arab women have demonstrated their ability to create, innovate, and contribute effectively to building their societies and advancing their economies.
Source: Thepeninsulaqatar.Com
https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/26/01/2025/al-ahmadani-inaugurates-arabian-women-exhibition
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‘My heart is split in two’: The women waiting to return to northern Gaza
By MadlienShaqalih
25 Jan 2025
Deir el-Balah, Gaza Strip – InshirahDarabeh has just one thought on her mind as she prepares to leave the home of her in-laws near Deir el-Balah and travel to her home in Gaza City: finding the body of her daughter, Maram, and giving her a dignified burial.
“I am not going back to find my home, all I want is to find her grave and put her name on a tombstone,” she says. Inshirah, 55, will walk more than 10km (6 miles) through rubble and bomb craters to reach her home. She thinks it will take at least three hours.
Inshirah is overwhelmed with mixed feelings of dread, pain and relief, she says, as she finally leaves the place she has sheltered in for the past year from Israel’s brutal war on Gaza, which has left more than 46,000 Palestinians dead and many thousands more unaccounted for and assumed dead under the rubble. Most of those killed have been women and children.
In accordance with the terms of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas which came into effect last Sunday, on day seven of the ceasefire – Saturday this week – internally displaced Palestinians were to be allowed to return without inspection by Israeli soldiers to their homes in the north, which has been under a deadly military siege since October 2024.
However, this was temporarily thrown into doubt on Saturday following the second prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel. Israel said it would not allow the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza until an issue involving the release of one captive, ArbelYehoud, is resolved.
In November 2023, when Israeli ground troops entered the besieged Strip following the first month of aerial bombardment, Gaza was split in two. This military partition – known as the Netzarim Corridor – stretches across Gaza, from east to west, cutting off Gaza City and the towns of Jabalia, Beit Hanoon and Beit Lahiya in north Gaza from Khan Younis and Rafah in the south.
Since the ground invasion, no one has been able to cross back to the north. According to UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, between 65,000 and 75,000 people are believed to have remained in North Gaza governorate – less than 20 percent of the pre-war population there – before the intensification of military operations and the siege.
People will be allowed to return on foot via al-Rashid Street, a waterfront street west of Gaza City which links the south of Gaza to the north. The passage of vehicles, however, has been a point of contention. According to a report by United States website Axios, Hamas had refused to agree to the placement of Israeli checkpoints along the Netzarim Corridor, a key road south of Gaza City.
The compromise, says the report, was for US private security contractors to operate in Gaza as part of a multinational consortium established under the ceasefire deal with the backing of its American, Egyptian and Qatari brokers “to oversee, manage and secure” a vehicle checkpoint along the main Salah al-Din Street.
Following 15 months of near-incessant Israeli bombing which has left 90 percent of Gaza’s population internally displaced and more than 80 percent of buildings in ruins, survivors like Inshirah are not ready to give up.
“My husband and I were forced to leave our home in the north in the first few weeks of the war,” Inshirah tells Al Jazeera. “We took my eldest granddaughter with us, but my three daughters and their husbands stayed behind.”
Maram was 35. Her four-month-old daughter was killed first by the same Israeli air raid on Gaza City in late October that took Maram’s life soon after.
Inshirah’s story is similar to that of thousands of women who have experienced the unspeakable pain of losing children, husbands, fathers and brothers while carrying the burden of caring for those who have survived.
“Salah, my four-year-old, died in my arms in Deir el-Balah where we were displaced a year ago,” Olfat tells Al Jazeera. Olfat’s father had taken him to Friday prayers when Israel air-raided the mosque on October 27, 2023. “My father lost his legs,” she says.
Olfat’s husband had at first stayed behind at their home in Beit Lahiya, north of Jabalia in northern Gaza, so she took the difficult decision to send his body back with her uncles so her husband could bury him near their home. Now, at last, she can go there herself – and plans to travel on Sunday.
“I haven’t seen my own child’s grave,” she says. “My heart is split in two: One half is with my martyred child and the remains of my home, and the other half is with my two children who have been deprived of their father for months.
Source: Www.Aljazeera.Com
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/taliban-afghan-girls-study-pakistan/d/134435