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Taliban says burqa is not mandatory for women but hijab is

Addressing the media, Suhail Shaheen, spokesman for the group, said that the burqa is not the only hijab that could be worn; there are different types of hijab not limited to the burqa.

Taliban burqa not mandatory for women gcw
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Kabul, First Published Aug 18, 2021, 10:48 AM IST

Since taking control, on Tuesday, the Taliban signalled for the first time that they would not impose the complete burqa on women, as they did when they previously ruled Afghanistan.
Girls' schools were shuttered under the terrorists' harsh reign from 1996 to 2001, women were barred from travelling and working, and women were required to wear an all-covering burqa in public.

Addressing the media, Suhail Shaheen, spokesman for the group, said that the burqa is not the only hijab that could be worn; there are different types of hijab not limited to the burqa.
The burqa is a one-piece overgarment covering the full head and body and a see-through mesh panel. Shaheen did not clarify whether other forms of hijab would be acceptable to the Taliban.

Further adding, he said women could get education from primary to higher education -- that means university. He said the group had announced this policy at international conferences, the Moscow conference, and the Doha conference. Confirming the same, Shaheen added that thousands of schools in areas captured by the Taliban were still operational.
Along with clothing issues, several nations and rights groups have expressed concern over the fate of women's education in Afghanistan now that it is in the hands of the hardline militants. They stormed the capital Kabul on Sunday.

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