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US to increase pressure on IEA if decisions on women, girls are not reversed
The United States will take steps to increase pressure on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) government to reverse some of its recent decisions restricting the rights of women and girls if it shows no sign of rescinding the actions on its own, Reuters reported.
“We’ve addressed it directly with the Taliban (IEA),” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a briefing on Monday.
“We have a number of tools that, if we feel these won’t be reversed, these won’t be undone, that we are prepared to move forward with.”
He did not elaborate on the possible steps or indicate how the IEA, which has already implemented policies curbing 20 years of gains for girls’ and women’s rights, might have a change of heart.
On Saturday the IEA ordered women to cover their faces in public, a return to a signature policy of their past rule and an escalation of restrictions.
The ideal face covering was the all-encompassing burqa, the IEA said.
The IEA has also restricted girls and women from working and limited their travel unless accompanied by a close male relative. Most girls were also barred from going to school beyond seventh grade.
“We’ve consulted closely with our allies and partners,” Price said. “There are steps that we will continue to take to increase pressure on the Taliban (IEA) to reverse some of these decisions, to make good on the promises that they have made.”
A key piece of leverage held by Washington over the IEA is the $7 billion in frozen Afghan central bank assets on US soil – half of which the Biden administration is seeking to free up to help the Afghan people, the administration has said.
Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) officially introduced Al-Haj Mullah Abdul Haq Hamkar as its new Chief Executive Officer, following a special decree by the Islamic Emirate’s Supreme Leader Amir al-Mu’minin Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials, including representatives from the Ministries of Defense and Interior, provincial authorities, national institutions, the former DABS CEO Abdul Bari Omar, and directors and staff of the company.
Speakers highlighted recent progress at DABS, efforts to improve transparency and services, and the company’s move from losses toward profitability. In his remarks, Hamkar emphasized the importance of orderly transfer of responsibilities, obedience to leadership, and expanding electricity services, noting the central role of power supply in daily life and economic development.
Amir Khan Mutaqi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, met on Tuesday in Kabul with Georgette Gagnon, Officer-in-Charge of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting covered the upcoming visit of Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, to Kabul, as well as the progress and upcoming meetings of the Doha Process working groups on counter-narcotics and private sector support, and other related issues.
The statement added that Muttaqi said the Islamic Emirate has made satisfactory progress in the Doha Process working groups, but opposing parties have yet to achieve significant results regarding alternative livelihoods and banking issues.
He emphasized that it is necessary for the relevant parties to take effective steps in these areas to enable progress in other sectors as well.
Gagnon referred to DiCarlo’s visit at the end of this month and called for cooperation in this regard.
She also evaluated the outcomes of previous sessions of the two Doha Process working groups positively and noted that further attention would be given to these matters.
The federal government has approved the re-export of all Afghan transit trade consignments stranded at Karachi and Gwadar ports, offering relief to traders affected by prolonged border closures.
According to Pakistani media, traders will be allowed to re-export their Afghan transit shipments through any Pakistani seaport of their choice.
Sources said the commerce minister has formally conveyed the decision to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The measure aims to ease congestion and address disruptions caused by the suspension of trade routes.
Pakistan had earlier closed the Torkham and Chaman crossings for commercial activity due to security concerns, halting transit trade between the two countries from October 12.
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