THE supreme leader of the Taliban claimed today that his government has taken the necessary steps for the betterment of women’s lives in Afghanistan.

The comments follow the Islamic fundamentalist government’s banning of women from public life and work and in a country where girls’ education has also been severely curbed.

The statement from Hibatullah Akhundzada was issued ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday.

The Islamic scholar said that under the rule of the Islamic Emirate, concrete measures have been taken to save women from many traditional oppressions, including forced marriages “and their shariah rights have been protected.”

He added: “The necessary steps have been taken for the betterment of women as half of society in order to provide them with a comfortable and prosperous life according to the Islamic shariah.” 

“The status of women as a free and dignified human being has been restored and all institutions have been obliged to help women in securing marriage, inheritance and other rights,” Mr Akhundzada added.

Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule than during their previous stint in power in the 1990s, the Taliban have imposed harsh measures since seizing Afghanistan in August 2021 as United States and Nato forces were pulling out.

The Taliban have barred women from public spaces such as parks and gyms, and cracked down on media freedoms.

The measures have triggered a fierce international reaction, increasing the country’s isolation at a time when it is enduring a collapsed economy and a worsening humanitarian crisis. 

Mr Akhundzada called for an end to interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs but added that the Taliban government seeks good political and economic relations with the rest of the world.