Home Blog Page 3957

New York Times lies about Indian govt’s visa policy towards Afghan nationals, makes false claims of religious criteria

OpIndia Staff
-
0
New York Times lies about Indian govt’s visa policy towards Afghan nationals, makes false claims of religious criteria

Amidst the Taliban take over of Afghanistan fuelling the worst humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country, the New York Times has yet against caught peddling misinformation blatant lies targetting the Indian government over its visa policy to allow Afghan nationals.

On Tuesday, the American news publication New York Times published an article claiming that the Indian government has announced it would prioritise allowing only persecuted Hindus and Sikhs from Afghanistan to enter the country amidst the Taliban scare.

The controversial left-wing outlet, which has can been caught several times for publishing anti-India propaganda, continued to peddle misinformation saying that India’s decision was similar to the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, passed by the Indian government to grant citizenship to the six persecuted minorities of three neighbouring Islamic countries, which according to NYT was “discriminatory against Muslims”.

It is notable here that the CAA was widely castigated as ‘discriminatory against Muslims’ by leftist media outlets in India and abroad. In reality, the CAA had nothing to do with the citizenship status of Indian Muslims, and it had no restrictions on Muslims from other nations applying for citizenship or coming to India the regular way.

In its report, the New York Times claimed that the country’s Home Ministry said it would introduce “emergency visas” to allow Afghans to stay in India for six months. However, the report claims that it did not say whether Afghan Muslims, who, according to NYT, make up the majority of those seeking to leave Afghanistan as the Taliban take over, would also be considered or not.

Quoting far-left protestors and anti-India elements, New York Times peddled misinformation that the Indian government was discriminating against Muslims and was favouring the refugees on the basis of religion.

New York Times peddles misinformation about India’s visa policy to Afghan nationals

However, in a hurry to target the Indian government, the New York Times put out half-truths about the Indian government’s goodwill gesture to allow Afghan nationals to Indian after the war-torn country was captured by the Islamic terror group Taliban.

The NYT’s claim that India has adopted a ‘religious’ criteria to grant asylum to Afghan citizens is not true. In reality, the Indian government promptly introduced an emergency e-visa for Afghanistan nationals as soon as the humanitarian crisis struck the war-torn country.

In the wake of the prevailing situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban captured power, the Indian government introduced a new category of e-visa for Afghan nationals to fast-track their applications for entry into India. However, these visas will be valid for six months only and will be granted only after security clearance.

“MHA reviews visa provisions in view of the current situation in Afghanistan. A new category of electronic visa called “e-Emergency X-Misc Visa” introduced to fast-track visa applications for entry into India,” a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Tuesday.

The visa under the emergency category is being granted to facilitate the stay of Afghan nationals fleeing Afghanistan does not have any religious criteria as claimed by the New York Times in its report. Even though India does not have a refugee policy, the government grants shelter to foreigners facing persecution in their countries on a case-to-case basis.

Indian government issues emergency visas to Afghan nationals

Despite opposition from varied sections of the country against allowing the Afghan nationals into the government, the Government of India has decided to go ahead with granting emergency Visas to the Afghan nationals, irrespective of their religion.

As per MHA’s visa policy, foreign nationals applying for a visa for any purposes that are not specifically covered under any visa category may be granted an “X-Misc” Visa for the appropriate duration and granting of such visas are decided on a case-by-case basis.

Image Source: Kanchan Gupta

In fact, in the backdrop of events in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Modi had chaired Cabinet Committee on Security meeting on Tuesday to discuss the prevailing situation of the possible influx of Afghan nationals. In the meeting, it was reportedly decided that India should open its doors to provide refuge to those Sikh and Hindu minorities of Afghanistan but also to help the Afghan nationals who are looking towards India for assistance.

Most importantly, this is not the first time India is allowing Afghan nationals, irrespective of religion, to enter India. In the past, the Indian government had granted long duration visas to Afghan nationals of all religions facing persecution in that country and a large number of Afghans who fled the country during the first Taliban takeover. Besides, several Afghan nationals, including Muslims, continue to live in India.

Despite India officially stating that it has decided to grant emergency Visas to the Afghan nationals, the New York Times continues to peddle lies about the Indian government to claim that the Modi government is allowing persecuted Afghan nationals on the basis of religion.

‘Liberals’ attack Shashi Tharoor for ‘revealing’ Malayalis in Taliban, Tharoor proves how Keralites are indeed joining terror groups

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Liberals’ attack Shashi Tharoor for ‘revealing’ Malayalis in Taliban, Tharoor proves how Keralites are indeed joining terror groups

On Tuesday, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor suggested that the fundamentalists from Kerala, who have been recently joining the Islamist terror group ISIS, may have also joined the ranks in Taliban. The Islamist group, which draws inspiration from Deobandi school, has taken over Afghanistan sparking fears of human rights violation in the country as it spirals into chaos.

Soon, Tharoor was attacked by ‘liberals’ for voicing concerns over people from Kerala taking the radicalisation route.

The Quint journalist Aditya Menon was unhappy with Tharoor expressing concerns over radicalisation of youth from Kerala. The Quint, as a publication, has regularly published articles whitewashing crimes of radical Islamists and portrays them as ‘son’ and ‘friend’ and ‘husband’ to humanise them.

Menon, who is a half Malayali himself, has converted to Islam.

Menon was upset and held Tharoor responsible for letting the uncomfortable truth known to ‘Sanghis’. Menon has earlier defended Islamists like Sharjeel Imam who wanted Muslims in India to take to street and cut off the northeast India from rest of the country in ‘chakkajam’.

That’s not it, other Muslims like Aditya, too, were triggered at truth being laid out by Tharoor and accused him of cosying up with the RSS.

Many ‘liberals’ were upset that pointing out radicalisation of youth in Kerala might ‘help’ the right wing ecosystem. Because, clearly, ‘helping right wing ecosystem’ is a bigger threat than actual youths joining the ISIS.

Rather than finding solution to issues such as radicalisation of youth in Kerala who end up joining ISIS, ‘liberals’ were upset the truth may trigger ‘hate campaign’.

‘Liberals’ also would rather not see facts lest it ‘add fuel to already existing generalisation’.

Later, Tharoor tweeted how Nimisha Fathima, an ISIS bride from Kerala who had left for Afghanistan to join the Islamic State, was amongst the 5,000 prisoners released by Afghanistan. As per a report in Mathrubhumi, at least 21 people from India had gone to Afghanistan to join the ISIS, many from Kerala.

This again drew ire of ‘liberals’. While Nimisha had left for Afghanistan to join the ISIS was a fact, ‘liberals’ were questioning Tharoor on how can he say that there were people from Kerala in Taliban.

Some Twitter account with Palestine flag in the name and dreams of future with socialism also accused Tharoor of ‘betraying’ the state for ‘hate spewers’.

That radicalised youth from Kerala is joining terror groups is a known fact. In August 2020, a terror attack perpetrated by the Islamic State (ISIS) at a prison complex in Jalalabad in Afghanistan reportedly led to the escape of 300 inmates. Top intelligence sources revealed that the suicide bomber involved in the terror attack hailed from Kasargod in Kerala. The terrorist, Kalukettiya Purayil Ijas, had reportedly fled to Khorasan in June 2016 with his family through Muscat.

In June 2020, a Christian engineer from Kerala, who had recently converted to Islam to join Islamic State’s (IS), was killed in a suicide bombing terror attack in Libya. Before that, in March 2020, armed terrorists attacked a Gurudwara in Shor Bazar Area of Afghanistan. It was revealed that ‘Abu Khalid al-Hindi’ who attacked Sikhs in Afghanistan was one Mohammed Sajid Kuthirummal who had escaped from Kasargod, Kerala in 2015 to join ISIS.

Kerala: Hotbed of radicalisation of youth

Investigations have revealed that ISIS had struck roots in Kerala as far back as 2014 with modules sponsoring religious conversions and trying to motivate professionals to join its fold in Afghanistan and Syria. Last year, in its report on terrorism, the UN cautioned that there are a sizeable number of ISIS terrorists in the Indian state of Kerala, adding that the ISIL Indian affiliate (Hind Wilayah), which was announced on May 10, 2019, has about 180 to 200 members.

Even yesterday, two women were arrested from Kerala’s Kannur for being involved in pro-ISIS activities.

But then, let us not talk about it because it upsets the ‘liberals’.

ISIS terrorist Nimisha Fathima, other Keralites among 5,000 prisoners set free by Taliban from Kabul jails: Reports

OpIndia Staff
-
0
ISIS terrorist Nimisha Fathima, other Keralites among 5,000 prisoners set free by Taliban from Kabul jails: Reports

NBC News Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel on Sunday had shared a video of prisoners leaving Kabul jail after being freed by the Taliban. 

A Mathrubhumi report allegedly based on intelligence information has claimed that eight Keralites, who had left for Afghanistan to join ISIS, were also there among the released prisoners. After taking over the country, the Taliban broke open the jail to set free over 5,000 Taliban and Al-Qaeda terrorists from Badam Bagh and Pul-e-Charkhi jails in Kabul. 

Reports suggest that Nimisha Fathima an ISIS bride from Kerala was also there among the released. As many as 21 Indians who had gone to join the Jihadi organizations were nabbed by the Afghan forces during a fight. 

Reacting to unconfirmed reports, Fathima’s mother Bindu who is awaiting her return said, “Came to know that was the intelligence report from Afghanistan. I don’t know the truth.” Bindu further claimed that if the news is indeed true then it is nothing but divine intervention. 

Bindu, however, is still awaiting the central government’s nod to reunite with her daughter and grandchild. In an interview with The Times of India, Bindu said that she will keep knocking the doors of the government and relevant authorities. The mother of the ISIS bride, while hopeful, is yet to receive official confirmation of her daughter’s release. 

“I need to keep doing what I have to do as there is no one else to help me in this battle,” the mother of the ISIS recruit exclaimed. 

Four couples from Kerala had joined Islamic State: NIA

Nimisha Fathima along with her terrorist husband Bexon flew to Afghanistan from Kerala in June 2016 to wage a war against the US forces in ISIS-controlled Khorasan Province and become ISIS jihadi terrorists. 

Nimisha alias Fathima had adopted the name of ‘Fathima Isa’ after her marriage with an ISIS terrorist. Fathima in Afghanistan had given birth to a child there shortly after which her terrorist husband got killed.

Fathima was then forced to surrender to the Afghan government in 2019. The other women were identified as Sonia Sebastian alias Ayisha, Merrin Jacob alias Mariyam, and Raffaela. 

In the recent past, the women had expressed their desire to return to India. The families of these ISIS recruits have sought help and permission from the government to bring their daughters back. However, the government has shown no interest to bring the terrorists back. 

West Bengal: Shiv Bhakts thrashed by cops outside Bhootnath temple, BJP compares situation in state to ‘Taliban Raj’

OpIndia Staff
-
0
West Bengal: Shiv Bhakts thrashed by cops outside Bhootnath temple, BJP compares situation in state to ‘Taliban Raj’

On Monday (August 16), the police brutally charged Hindu devotees with batons after they gathered to offer prayers at the iconic Bhootnath temple in the Beniatola area of Kolkata in West Bengal.

Although all major temples in the State have been opened, the Bhootnath temple has remained shut for adherents of the Hindu faith owing to ‘Coronavirus restrictions’. Reportedly, the temple is of immense significance to Shiv Bhakts during the month of Shravan. On each Monday, devotees flock to the temple from Kolkata and other adjoining areas. Given that the temple premises are closed for devotees, they usually gather outside the gates and offer prayers.

When devotees tried to offer prayers at the temple yesterday, they were mercilessly beaten by uniformed police personnels. Besides, two men in civilian dress were seen assaulting a Shiv Bhakt wearing saffron clothes. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media. It was shared by the BJP unit of West Bengal on Twitter. “In front of the Bhootnath temple, the devotees of Shiva were brutally beaten by the Kolkata police. Is this what the devotees of Shiva deserve? Mamata Banerjee’s reign in Bengal serves as a microcosm of the Taliban rule! Shame!” read a tweet by BJP Bengal.

While speaking about the matter, State Vice-President Ritesh Tiwari said, “Shocking and barbaric! The Kolkata Police is mercilessly beating the Shiva Devotees in front of Kolkata’s Bhootnath Temple and it is really a painful sight to watch. Is this what these innocent devotees deserve?” He then compared the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal under Mamata Banerjee to that of Afghanistan under Taliban.

Targeting of Hindus by the TMC-led government

During the post-poll violence in West Bengal orchestrated by Trinamool Congress hoodlums, the lives of thousands of Hindus were affected in the State.

In a press release by National Spokesperson of VHP, Vinod Bansal, in May, he stated, “The Central Secretary General of Vishva Hindu Parishad, Sri Milind Parande today said that unfortunately, the Hindu society has been at the receiving end of the brutal and gruesome political violence that started in West Bengal on May 02.” The press release emphasised, “More than 3500 villages and over 40-thousand Hindus, including our SC & ST brethren in great numbers, are badly affected by the violence.”

Spanish radio chat show calls BTS ‘Chinese backstreet boys’, angered fans allege racism and xenophobia

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Spanish radio chat show calls BTS ‘Chinese backstreet boys’, angered fans allege racism and xenophobia

BTS fans, who identify themselves as ARMY, are outraged after the K-pop sensation BTS was called “Chinese backstreet boys” during a chat show on a Spanish radio channel.

During the chat show on Esto no es Radio, one of the speakers ridicules BTS as Chinese backstreet boys, raising the hackles of ARMY members, who took to social media to condemn the channel for their hatred against Asians and Xenophobia.

The video of the show where the speakers are ostensibly talking in Spanish and ridiculing BTS has now gone viral on the internet. One Twitter user who was affronted by the insulting remarks for BTS translated the conversation that took place in the chat show, alleging that the remarks made by the speakers against the BTS were xenophobic in nature. The user also asked others to report the radio channel.

Another BTS fan said being racist, xenophobic and making fun of others’ culture is not funny. “Shut your filthy mouths and what is with radio hosts getting vocal with their racism lately?” the user asked.

A Twitter who seemed outraged by the comments during the chat show tweeted: “This is f*cking disgusting. Racism of any form is NOT humour. We are in the 21st century, I thought we knew this,” she tweeted along with hashtags that called for stopping hate against Asians and asserting that Xenophobia is not humour.

A Twitter user said the remarks were not just an attack on BTS but against the entire Asian community.

Then there were others who were not so civil in criticising the speakers who had mocked BTS.

A raft of other BTS fans also slammed the Spanish radio for allowing its platform to be used by people who promoted and supported racism and xenophobia against Asians.

BTS: South Korean K-pop sensation

BTS is a massively popular South Korean boy band that was formed in 2010 and debuted in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment. The band, also known as the Bangstan Boys comprise seven members —Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. The group co-writes and co-produces much of their own output. It had recently come up with a song called “Butter” that instantly became a chartbuster.

The band had originally been a hip hop group, but their musical style has evolved over a period of time to include a wide range of genres. The lyrics to their songs often focus on personal and social issues, touching upon themes of mental health, school-age problems, loss, among other things. Their body of work also includes references to literature and psychological concepts, along with an alternative universe storyline.

Besides, they have a formidable fan base, who call themselves ARMY. A.R.M.Y is an acronym for Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth. By some accounts, the band has more than 90 million fans across the world, who are passionately devoted to the group.

Vice President of Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh lays claim to the presidency, seeks support as he implores Afghans to ‘join the resistance’

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Vice President of Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh lays claim to the presidency, seeks support as he implores Afghans to ‘join the resistance’

Vice President of Afghanistan under the Ashraf Ghani government, Amrullah Saleh, has staked claim to the presidency of the country as the legitimate caretaker president. He said that as per the constitution of Afghanistan, in the event of the escape, absence, resignation or death of the president, the Vice President becomes the caretaker president.

Amrullah Saleh said that since he is still in Afghanistan, he is the legitimate caretaker president and therefore, he is reaching out to leaders to secure their support and consensus.

Amrullah Saleh, Vice President of Afghanistan
Source: Twitter

Earlier, Saleh had implored Afghans to ‘join the resistance’ against Taliban. He had also said that it is futile to argue with the president of the United States of America, Joe Biden. He said that it is up to Afghans to prove that their country is not Vietnam and the Taliban is nothing like the Vietcong. That, however, irked a certain journalist from India Today.

Amrullah Saleh, Vice President of Afghanistan

Kabul fell to Taliban on the 15th of August without bloodshed after president Ashraf Ghani fled the country. In a blitzkrieg, Taliban managed to capture the whole of Afghanistan in a matter of days. The speed at which the Afghan Government collapsed came as a shock to many, with Afghan soldiers leaving the force to join the ranks of the Taliban.

Following the capture, chaotic scenes were observed at the Kabul Airport as Afghans looked to flee the country. Horrific videos have emerged where Afghans could be spotted clinging on to the wheels of flights leaving the country and then falling from the sky to their deaths after take-off.

‘Tweet jehad kab tak chalega?’ India Today journalist asks Afghan VP to ‘show his face’ as Taliban takes over Afghanistan

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Tweet jehad kab tak chalega?’ India Today journalist asks Afghan VP to ‘show his face’ as Taliban takes over Afghanistan

India Today journalist Ashraf Wani on Tuesday took to Twitter to question Afghanistan Vice President Amruallah Saleh on when will he show his face, after having ‘escaped to Tajikistan.

Ashraf Wani’s tweet

Wani, a journalist with India Today group based in Jammu & Kashmir, mocked the Afghan VP who has been very vocal about his anti-Taliban stand.

He was responding to a tweet by Saleh where he urged Afghans to ‘join the resistance’ against the Taliban. Wani mocked him and asked, “Why don’t you show your face? Till when will you continue the ‘tweet jehad’ from Tajikistan?”

Meanwhile, Saleh has said that he has not fled the country and is very much in Afghanistan. He has also declared himself caretaker President and sought international support.

He tweeted that in absence of President who is either absent, escaped, resigned or dead, the vice president becomes the caretaker President. He is currently in Afghanistan and is hence the legitimate caretaker President. He has also reached out to leaders to secure their support.

Indian hockey star PR Sreejesh lauds PM Modi for renaming Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand: Here is what he said

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Indian hockey star PR Sreejesh lauds PM Modi for renaming Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand: Here is what he said

Indian Olympic hockey star PR Sreejesh on Tuesday heaped praises on PM Modi for renaming the prestigious Khel Ratna award after Hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.

“It is a big honour for us and for the sport of hockey to have the Khel Ratna named after one of the hockey legends Major Dhyan Chand,” PR Sreejesh said in a video that has gone viral on the internet.

The Olympian bronze medallist also spoke about the team’s interaction with PM Modi after returning from the Tokyo Olympics. Sreejesh said PM Modi put all of them at ease and struck a frank conversation with the players.

“We got an opportunity to speak to the country’s Prime Minister. But sir never made us feel that we were talking to a prime minister. He interacted with us in an open and friendly manner. He took us into our comfort zone…Sir (PM Modi) wished our coach for the victory and told us all that the entire country is celebrating our triumph at the Olympics. He also said that no matter how many laurels Indian athletes bring, but when the hockey team wins a medal, it is a special occasion for all the Indians,” Sreejesh said.

Indian hockey team creates history by clinching a bronze medal at Tokyo Olympics

The Indian Men’s Hockey Team created history at the Tokyo Olympics after it won the bronze medal in the Hockey event after registering a thrilling victory over Germany in the Bronze medal play-off. The Indian team defeated Germany 5-4, securing their first Olympics medal in 41 years. The Indian Hockey team had won the last Olympic medal in the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

Indian has won as many as eight gold medals in hockey events in the Olympics, besides a silver medal and three bronze medals. This was India’s 12th medal in the category, the latest being the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award rechristened as Major Dhyan Chand award

On August 6, a day after the Indian Hockey team won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that henceforth, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award shall be known as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The Prime Minister said that he had received requests from people across the country to name the award after the Indian Hockey legend. Therefore, respecting their wishes, the name has been altered accordingly.

Radical Islam apologist profiled by Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint, who is a serial fake news peddler, now spreads Taliban propaganda: Details

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Radical Islam apologist profiled by Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint, who is a serial fake news peddler, now spreads Taliban propaganda: Details

Radical Islam apologist often branded as a journalist and profiled by Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint, CJ Werleman, is busy spreading propaganda that paints the Taliban in good light after the group managed to capture Kabul following the US Exit from Afghanistan. He appears to be making a considerable degree of effort to normalise the Islamist group.

Source: Twitter

On Tuesday, CJ Werleman claimed that the Taliban has not attacked civilians or US personnel at the Kabul Airport, assured women they could continue to work and study and that religious minorities could continue practicing their religion and announced a “general amnesty” for officials of the former government.

This was after he attempted to play defense for the Taliban by comparing them with crime statistics from the United States of America without any context.

Source: Twitter

The atrocities committed by Taliban against women and religious minorities are far too well documented for CJ Werleman to be not aware of them. And yet, he chose to play propaganda for the Islamist group by making ridiculous arguments.

Werleman, of course, has a history of spreading Islamist propaganda. During the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, he had claimed that the Uttar Pradesh Police had killed ‘peacefully protesting’ citizens.

The Police had responded to his tweet saying, “More than 250 police persons have been injured- 62 with gunshot injuries. Live and fired cartridges of non-prohibited bore (not used by the police) in excess of 700 have been recovered from ‘peacefully protesting’ citizens.”

Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint had eulogised Werleman in a profile describing him as a ‘bigot-turned-crusader against ‘Islamophobia’ who is taking on the Indian state’. C.J. Werlemen appears to have a special grudge against Uttar Pradesh, probably because a saffron-clad monk is the Chief Minister of the state. Numerous tweets of his refer to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as ‘Hindutva terrorist’.

Earlier, The Wire had provided platform to a journalist who attempted to provide legitimacy to the Taliban. “So merely because they are spreading terrorism or oppressing women one says that they (Talibanis) do not have a stake there (Afghanistan) is sheer stupidity,” the journalist had said.

Note: Earlier this article identified CJ Werleman as columnist with ThePrint. However, it turns out, he was only ‘profiled’ by Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint and has not written any article for them. We have updated the copy. Error is regretted.

Taliban claim they will allow women to study and work, but Afghans still remember the public stonings and floggings

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Taliban claim they will allow women to study and work, but Afghans still remember the public stonings and floggings

Days after effectively taking control of Afghanistan, terror outfit Taliban declared an “amnesty” across the country and urged women to return to work, in a bid to reassure the wary population fretting over their fate under the Talibani regime.

Panic and fear had swept across the country after the fall of Kabul on Sunday, following which a multitude of city residents flocked to the airport, in a desperate attempt to fly out of the country.

“A general amnesty has been declared for all…so you should start your routine life with full confidence,” a statement issued by the Taliban said.

Enamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban’s cultural commission, tried to allay fear among Afghan residents by asserting that the Islamic Emirate, the Taliban’s term for Afghanistan, doesn’t want women to be victims. “They should be in the government structure according to Shariah law,” he said.

The Taliban has reportedly said that women were the main victims of the crisis in Afghanistan for over 40 years and they dont want the women to be victims anymore. Samangani said that the Taliban wants to provide women with the environment to work and study, and even join the government “as per Islamic law and our cultural values”.

Speaking on the structure of the government, Samangani said, “It is not entirely clear yet, but based on experience, there should be a fully Islamic leadership and all sides should join.”

Samangani did not elaborate on the Islamic laws that people had to abide by, giving a hint that he assumed that people knew about the rules already and the Taliban’s expectations from them.

“People in this country are Muslim and we are not here to foist Islam on them,” Samangani said.

Notwithstanding Samangani’s assertions, many people remain sceptical about what the Taliban meant by amnesty and if it could be trusted to honour its promise. However, many Taliban leaders echoed Samangani’s assertions, saying that they won’t seek revenge against those who worked with the Afghan government or foreign countries.

Nevertheless, some in Kabul remain suspicious of the assurances made by the Taliban, alleging that the terror outfit has prepared a list of people who cooperated with the government and are seeking them out.

The Taliban made a lightning sweep across the country, swallowing one city after another as it intensified its bid to regain control of Afghanistan, raising alarm among the population of the prospect of regressing back to the repressive regime that defined the rule of Taliban in the late 90s.

However, ever since the Taliban commenced its offensive to recapture Afghanistan, it has sought to project greater moderation in its rule, something that is in stark contrast to its ham-handed rule from 1996 to 2001.

Back then, women were proscribed from attending school or working outside their homes, in conformity with Sharia Islamic law. Besides, they were also mandated to wear fully covered overgarments called chadaree and be chaperoned by a male relative whenever they went outside. The Taliban had also placed a ban on music and imposed severe punishments on those who violated the Sharia law, such as chopping off the hands of thieves, lashing women in public and stoning people over the allegations of adultry.

1...3,9563,9573,958...7,595Page 3,957 of 7,595