(Corrigendum: An earlier version of the story incorrectly attributed comments to Mohammad Ashraf Ghairat, the new chancellor of Kabul University. However, subsequent communication from the account asserts that the account was run by a student who was pretending to be Ghairat to highlight Taliban's actions 'towards education'. Error is regretted.)
After the appointment of Mohammad Ashraf Ghairat as the chancellor of Kabul University, a tweet by an account in his name made a public statement that women will be disallowed from working or attending universities till the time "real Islamic environment is not provide for all".
Several news organisations, including The Quint, reported on the development attributing the comment to Ghairat. However, Kabul University has now clarified that no such statement has been made and "fake pages" have been made in Ghairat's name.
Subsequently, the Twitter handle also put out clarification stating that the account is run by a "20-year-old" student to highlight "the ideology and actions of Taliban towards education, human and women rights in Afghanistan".
An archived version can be seen here.
(Source: Twitter/Screenshot)
WHO IS GHAIRAT AND IS THE UNIVERSITY SHUT?
Ghairat is a 34-year-old Taliban official who has worked for Cultural Affairs in the organisation for 15 years. He is the same person who called schools "a center of prostitution," The New York Times reported.
Since Taliban took over the reins of Afghanistan, public universities have been shut. Private universities and higher education institutions, following the new gender segregation format, reopened in early September, as per TOLO News.
The ministry has suggested that the public universities will reopen as soon as separation of classes take place.
As per reports in the BBC and NYT, suggestions have been made that women will only be taught if there are "enough funds to establish separate classes for them," and once their "safety while travelling has been ensured".
The Taliban has claimed to be a reformed body and different from the Taliban of the 90s. The organisation has on multiple occasions said it would provide women with rights – as long as they are in accordance with the Sharia law – and give them the opportunity to study and work.
However, there have been reports of women being sent back from their workplaces and colleges, forced marriages of girls, and women being beaten up for not adhering to the dress code.
They have planned to segregate male and female students and completely do away with co-ed education. Women's education is solely at the discretion of the Taliban, which claims to maintaining safety measures for women.
(With inputs from BBC, New York Times and WION)
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