Qatar ‘disappointed’ over measures taken against Afghan women

 August 14, 2022
By Ariana News


Qatar expressed its disappointment in measures taken against Afghan women and girls by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Friday, just days ahead of the one-year mark of their takeover of Kabul.

“Of course, we’ve been very much disappointed in some of the measures taken against the Afghan girls and women and we encourage the Taliban (IEA)to reverse those measures and give everyone in Afghanistan their rights and access to education,” Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told a press conference in Malaysia.

The Qatari diplomat’s remarks came during a press conference alongside his Malaysian counterpart Saifuddin Abdullah, Doha News reported. His visit to Kuala Lumpur came as part of a tour in Asia that kicked off on Thursday in Singapore.

The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan was among the key issues of common concern during the meeting between Al Thani and Abdullah. Both officials urged all parties to preserve the rights of all Afghans, especially females.

Qatar has repeatedly stressed the need to respect the rights of all segments of Afghan society. It also previously expressed its disappointment in March when girls were returned home after attempting to resume their education, Doha News reported.

Qatar, which hosts the IEA’s political office, also urged all parties to stick to the 2020 Doha Agreement.

“We are very much concerned about the situation in Afghanistan and urge all the parties to stick to the Doha Agreement, especially their commitment to counterterrorism,” said Sheikh Mohammed.

The Doha Agreement was signed in Qatar in February 2020 under the former US Donald Trump administration following intensive negotiations in Qatar between the warring sides.