Karzai Declines to Praise Taliban Over Ban on Girls’ Education

Hamid Karzai has refused repeated requests from Taliban officials to praise their rule, saying he cannot do so while Afghan girls remain barred from secondary schools.

In an interview with the Financial Times, the former Afghan president said Taliban officials had questioned him about his public criticism. They also asked why he could not speak positively about their government.

Karzai’s response linked any praise directly to the continued ban on girls’ secondary education. He said that restriction prevented him from endorsing the Taliban’s rule.